If You're Listening

Michael Cohen is the star witness in the Trump 'hush-money' trial. He was once Trump's personal attorney and said he would "take a bullet" for his boss, but then everything changed. He has served years in prison for lying, tax fraud, bank fraud and campaign finance violations. But he thinks everything he's gone through will be worth it if he can take Trump down. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPubAjtbc4

Plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics are not going well. It's a political quagmire, with plans for billion-dollar stadium upgrades or massive new venues being thrown around like confetti. There are concerns that Brisbane is going to blow its budget. Fifty years ago, the 1976 Montreal Olympics suffered a financial disaster so massive it nearly heralded the end of the Olympic Games. Is Brisbane repeating the mistakes of the past? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VRUVQz-Dlw

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He is doing everything he can to stay in office, because if he holds office, he can't be thrown in jail. Sound familiar? It's a bit like Donald Trump's situation in the United States. But Netanyahu's case has an old-school flavour. It's a fierce battle between media tycoons, and it even involves Australian media nepo baby James Packer. It's a rollicking tale. But with a military campaign against Gaza and tensions with Iran rising, it could also change the fate of the war in the Middle East. For more on Benjamin Netanyahu's history, check out this episode: Can Israel rescue the hostages? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25NndMbkhVE

Narenda Modi loves to promote India's status as the largest democracy in the world, and experts agree that the country's elections are free and fair for all. Modi is now an unbackable favourite to win a third term as Prime Minister in the weeks ahead, with polls suggesting he is heading for another  victory. So why is he so sensitive to criticism, and aggressive in pursuing his detractors? In this final episode, Avani learns of the consequences of her own reporting on Modi after so many months searching for the truth.

Iran and Israel are caught in a cycle of revenge. On April Fools' Day, there was a huge escalation in the conflict when an Israeli air strike killed 16 people, including two Iranian Generals. Two weeks later, the skies over Israel lit up with a counterattack. It might seem like in this conflict, anything goes, but each response and retaliation is a calculated move. Israel knew the attack was coming and almost every drone and missile was intercepted. So, when the game of chess begins, how does it end? Last time the revenge cycle started to turn, Donald Trump was in the White House, and the wheel only stopped because of a tragic mistake. This time, Israel's response could change the trajectory of the conflict in the Middle East. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_dbh10orQc

Lifting Indians out of poverty lies at the core of Narendra Modi's wildly popular political strategy. And it's worked: during his Prime Ministership, India has risen from the tenth largest economy in the world to the fifth. But this rising tide has also widened the gap between the rich and the poor in India, and has raised questions about Modi's ties to business leaders who have turned the nation's rise to their own advantage.

People don't like wind farms. They say they're bad for wildlife, they affect property values and they create pollution. But are any of these claims true? Today, the wind farm debate and how it nearly tore the small Australian community of King Island apart. This episode of If You're Listening is a live recording from the Newcastle Writers Festival. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ-9hfWk8TI

In 2002, Narendra Modi's carefully crafted political story was rocked by a series of deadly attacks in his home state of Gujarat, where he was the highly popular Chief Minister. Thousands were killed in a wave of riots that lasted for three days and became a major national scandal. Modi's role in the violence has been heavily contested in the decades since, but he has never been able to shake the association in the minds of some Indians. How did he manage to survive such a high-profile catastrophe, and what is the legacy of those terrifying riots today?

The Duterte and Marcos families are the Montagues and Capulets of the Philippines. They are, depending on who you ask, the country's most famous statesmen, thieves, murderers or heroes. They have tussled for power for nearly 60 years, and now there are talks of secession splitting the country in two. Could this family feud literally tear the Philippines apart? Want to watch Matt present If You're Listening live from the Newcastle Writers Festival this Sunday, April 7? A stream will be posted to this channel on YouTube Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pPcV54kiQ

In January 2024, Narendra Modi travelled to the northern Indian town of Ayodhya to attend the consecration of a Hindu temple with a very contested history. The site had previously been occupied by a 500-year-old mosque, and had become a focal point of broader disputes between India's Hindu and Muslim communities. That fight over one hill in Ayodhya resulted in a demolition, mass protests and deadly retaliations across India. It also gave Modi a cause he could champion throughout his rapid political rise.

Australia’s housing market is, like many places in the Western world, in the midst of a crisis that feels like it will never be solved. Owning a property in an Australian city has only drifted further out of reach for most Australians in the last decade, and there are very few practical solutions on offer. Is it possible to actually unpick this situation? Japan offers a useful example. Thirty years ago, property in Tokyo was the most expensive in the world. Today, home ownership in that same city is comparatively affordable, with plenty of available stock on the market. How was this massive turnaround achieved, and how can other countries learn from the Japanese model?

When Narendra Modi left home, it wasn't to begin a career in politics. He wanted to be a monk. Modi's teenaged pilgrimage would take him across India, following the trail of his country's most influential religious leader. It was a journey that would ultimately steer him towards politics, and lay the foundation for some of his most popular and controversial philosophies.

The Princess of Wales has barely been seen since Christmas and everyone is asking, where is Kate? The Royal Family released a photo meant to squash the rumours, but when it became obvious it had been photoshopped, the speculation just got worse. Fake photos are everywhere, and there's a long history of people doctoring them, from photocopying to photoshopping, to straight up AI. But is there a time coming where we won't be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihzt5GNfnig

For most politicians, the image of a stable marriage and a happy family is a crucial part of their pitch to voters. But in India, being single is a selling point: leaders want to show that they are dedicated only to their country. Narendra Modi's carefully crafted image of a bachelor was up-ended when it emerged that he had a wife who had been kept secret for decades. Since this scandal broke, Modi's estranged wife has barely been seen or spoken to the media. In this episode, we're going to find her.

Russia is in the midst of an election, but we already know Vladimir Putin will win. He always wins. So why does Russia bother holding elections? What’s the point? Putin learned a lesson many years ago about the illusion of democracy, and it’s one he has never forgotten.

Every Tuesday for the next seven weeks, we'll be dropping an extra episode from a new ABC podcast into the If You're Listening feed. Looking for Modi, hosted by the ABC's South Asia correspondent Avani Dias, examines the life and political career of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. It's a fascinating show that we think you might enjoy. Matt will be back with another episode on Thursday. Narendra Modi's rise from poverty-stricken childhood has been a major appeal throughout his political career. He tells ordinary Indians that he is just like them, and that his life is proof of India's egalitarian democracy. But in truth, some of the central elements of his own biography are disputed. What do we really know about his origin story, and how did his time spent with a volunteer right wing organisation many view as a paramilitary group influence his politics?

The police arrested and interrogated Andrew after he was set up by hackers. Now we know how Chinese spies pull it off. An unprecedented leak of data from Chinese company i-Soon has cracked open the black box, revealing the secrets of China's cyber espionage operations. Correction: When Andrew Phelan was taken in for questioning by Victoria Police, he was never chargedSubscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c58XyP6Bx1E

Donald Trump was ordered to pay a $463.9 million fine for lying to banks about how rich he is. He's also facing at least five other cases that could cost him millions more in legal fees and fines. And this is all happening as he tries to run for president again — and political campaigns ain't cheap. So the question is: Can Donald Trump make it to election day without running out of money? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzEp-Vr4Oao

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was a revolutionary leader with a revolutionary idea. In just 10 years as Supreme Leader, Iran became a global pariah; virtually friendless in the international community. Yet when he died, millions of Iranians hysterically grieved his death. In today's episode, how Ayatollah Khomeini changed the course of Middle Eastern history, and how his ideas are still affecting us today. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOsdbCwS5qQ

In 1974, the Shah of Iran was diagnosed with cancer. It led to a Shakespearean tragedy that brought about the end of the Iranian monarchy and shaped the Middle East conflict we're seeing today. As open warfare between the US and Iran becomes more and more likely by the day, it's worth remembering that it all started with something tiny — a small lump in the spleen of one man. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZgrNZDxQhA

The Red Sea is the most trafficked trade route in the world, and now the US Navy and a group of militant Houthi rebels are going to war over it. The Houthis are attacking ships it says are linked to Israel and its allies; America is desperately trying to stop them. I mean, America might not get directly involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict, but you bet they'll protect their trade routes. The stakes couldn't be higher — if the US can't prove they have this under control, plenty of other groups around the world might decide to try their hand at blocking global trade as well. Editor's note: This introduction has been edited to clarify that not only Israeli ships have been targeted in Houthi attacks. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYJFHtTYc0g

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a new problem. As well as fighting Russia, he also has to fight Israel and Hamas for the world's attention. The shift in attention to Gaza has already meant Ukraine has lost crucial support. The question is — can Zelenskyy get the world to care about Ukraine again? And if not, what will that mean for the war? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fSMBo3xGBQ

China's pandas are not just pandas. They're diplomats. You're friendly to China? You get a panda. You criticise China? You get no pandas. In recent years China has been hostile toward the West, with the most literal symbol of their displeasure being the withdrawal of their pandas from zoos around the world. And yet, Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to be having a change of heart. This may indicate something very important — a return to a more peaceful relationship with the West. But why? And why are pandas the key to understanding it? Please participate in our listener survey! Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzM1L3Nrc-I

The world's most famous artificial intelligence company, OpenAI — the creator of ChatGPT — was set up to create a superintelligent AI, while at the same time safeguarding humanity from an omnipotent robot overlord which could enslave us all. But last week the company fell into chaos. OpenAI fired its wunderkind CEO Sam Altman. Just days later, under intense pressure, Sam Altman was put back in charge and the entire board was booted. So is an AI apocalypse possible, and with Altman back in charge, will OpenAI be able to protect us from its own robots? Please participate in our listener survey! Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR8c10Tkb3E

China is using cash to try and shore up support in the Pacific. In Honiara, the Solomon Islands capital, they just built most of the venues in the Pacific Games precinct. And China is not alone. Like a geopolitical version of The Bachelor, China, Taiwan, Australia and the United States are all trying desperately to win Honiara's heart. This tussle has caused panic in Taipei and Canberra, anger in Beijing and Washington, and actual violence in the Solomons. It's hard to think of a more perfect example of trouble in paradise. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzF_o11VvuQ

As international sanctions have cut into North Korea's ability to import and export things, they've become desperate for cash. They've been running crazy schemes to get it — smuggling, stealing, lying, cheating, swashbuckling — but that's nothing compared to what they make from stealing cryptocurrency. In fact, most of their foreign currency now comes from stolen crypto. So, can anything be done to stop the world's first nuclear-armed crypto bro, Kim Jong-un? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7eK8MO7c0Q

The Israeli hostages Hamas took back on October 7th still have not been rescued. The 1976 Entebbe rescue mission is legendary and gave Israel a reputation — they get hostages back no matter what. Now this reputation is putting enormous pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rescue the hostages again. The question is — can he? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQx0U-bfd7A

While Israel tries to defeat Hamas, they also have to worry about a much more dangerous paramilitary group on their northern border: Hezbollah. The express purpose of Hezbollah, which formed 40 years ago, is also to eradicate Israel. It would be a nightmare for Israel if Hezbollah swings in and backs Hamas up. So where did Hezbollah form, why do they hate Israel, and what hand did Israel have in their creation? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ4x0gAzJx4

The Israeli Government has one of the most well-resourced intelligence communities in the world, specifically tasked with preventing attacks from Hamas. So how did it fail to detect an operation that involved months of planning, meetings in multiple countries, and thousands of militants? This is part two in our series on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYJFHtTYc0g

Last week, Hamas burst out of the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, killing at least 1,400 people, the vast majority of them Israeli civilians. But Hamas' origins go back decades, to its founder Ahmed Yassin. How did a disabled refugee from Gaza become one of the most influential men in Palestine? And how did he take Hamas from obscurity to wresting control of the Gaza Strip? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VqWVeanOS0

In 2021, a doctor from Florida met with a group of men to plan the overthrow of the Haitian President. The plot triggered a series of events which led to the President's death, the almost total collapse of the government, and the rise of mob rule in Haiti. So why is Kenya now being sent in to save the day? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhcd5oos_P4

In September last year, Elon Musk refused to let the Ukrainian military use his Starlink satellites to attack Russia. Musk jumped on Twitter and posted “Starlink is meant for peaceful use only”.  So how did we get into a situation where Elon Musk gets to personally decide whether a Ukrainian military operation succeeds or fails? And was he justified in refusing to help?  Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVojbEzWoUU

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Vancouver in June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has just come out saying the Indian Government assassinated him. India is, of course, denying it. So who was Niijar? Why would anyone — much less the Indian Government — want to kill him? And is there more to this story than meets the eye? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2K0dTtkGNE

When world leaders received their invitations to the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi, everyone got a bit of a surprise. It referred to Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of Bharat, not India. The debate over the naming of India stretches back nearly 80 years, and tells an important story about the country's history. And Modi's new push for a change in the constitution is just the latest in a series of political fights centred on race, religion and unity in India. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWhuh87aYOM

The US, Russia, China and India are all sending missions to the moon — and all to its totally unexplored south pole. Why? Well, in order to make the next giant leap, we need to build a petrol station on the moon. How a discovery made a century ago will allow us to use the moon as a stepping stone to explore the solar system. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWhuh87aYOM

For a century society has bullied and shamed people into trying to lose weight, without much result. Now, a seemingly accidental discovery by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk may be the first weight loss drug that actually works. People are hailing semaglutide, marketed under the names Ozempic or Wegovy, as a miracle weight loss drug — but it comes at a cost. One clear winner is the Danish economy, as semaglutide has shot Novo Nordisk into the stratosphere as the most valuable company in all of Europe. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meJItedDm2Y

China's economy is struggling. Similar things are happening across Asia but in China it's happening extremely fast. And a big part of the reason why is the disastrous One Child Policy and years of dodgy population data. How can you make plans for a country when you don't know how many people you have? Now the population is going backward, the property sector is faltering, and China is in a world of trouble. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4E5qY_tTDg&t

While everyone has their eyes on the war in Ukraine, West Africa is threatening to break out into war. There's been a seemingly unstoppable wave of coups washing along the edge of the Sahara, gaining strength each time. After the recent military coup in Niger, locals were seen chanting "down with France" and "long live Putin". What are France and Russia doing in West Africa? And could they end up in a proxy war? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_N9w5e9NrE

Microchips are in your car, your microwave — there might even be one in your kettle. They run everything. And the best microchips are made by TSMC, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. TSMC chips have put Western tech companies and militaries streets ahead of China, and China is not happy about it. TSMC is so important, that the world could go to war over it. Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tC3u8NEqU8&t

Inflation in Argentina is at 100 per cent. The government is printing money fast and locals are spending in US dollars because the peso is so unreliable. The economy is like a rollercoaster. It might be tempting to think, "they're different over there", but here's the thing: they're kind of not. Argentina — one of the wealthiest countries in the world — was once uncomfortably similar to Australia. Until it totally lost control of its own economy.

Donald Trump has been charged with trying and failing to delete CCTV evidence of farcical, and allegedly criminal behaviour. It's just the latest charge in the case against the former president over his… interesting decision to take classified documents with him when he left the White House. Could it land him in jail? We tell the story of how Trump got into this predicament, and his plan to get out of it.

A bromance is a powerful thing. Lennon and McCartney. Holmes and Watson. Gilbert and Sullivan. Han and Chewy. But occasionally a bromance can nearly get you killed. A month ago the entire world watched transfixed as a former chef named Yevgeny Prigozhin marched with his private army on Moscow. At the core of this mutiny is a bromance between Prigozhin and a guy you've probably never heard of — General Sergei Surovikin. Prigozhin assumed his friend Surovikin would back him up, but he flaked, and now both men are missing. So how did Prigozhin's bromance with Surovikin nearly bring down the Russian Government? And what's the punishment for even thinking about trying to roll Vladimir Putin? We now make a video version of If You're Listening! Check us out on YouTube and iView.

If You're Listening is back, and better than ever. Same espionage, same corruptions, same scandals, but more often. Not only will we be in your feed every Thursday, we'll also cover a different story each week. And if you prefer to watch rather than listen, we're also making videos for iView and YouTube. Episode one drops Thursday, 27th July.

After ten months of war, a few likely outcomes of the war in Ukraine are emerging. A win for Vladimir Putin. A win for Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A bitter frozen conflict.  Neither Putin or Zelenskyy will sign a peace agreement and admit defeat.  But what if Putin’s regime ends? Guests: Dr Paul Dibb - Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU; Former Director of the Australian Joint Intelligence Organisation Lieutenant General (retired) Ben Hodges - former commanding general of the US Army in Europe Dr Mykhailo Minakov - Philosopher; Editor in Chief of Focus Ukraine blog from the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center Michael Bociurkiw - Global Affairs Analyst and former spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Philip Short - Former BBC Moscow Correspondent; Author of Putin: His Life and Times Professor Daniel Treisman, University of California, Los Angeles, co-author “Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century”

Protest is not allowed inside Russia. There was little resistance from the Russian people to the invasion of Ukraine, and those who didn’t like it simply left.  But Vladimir Putin has made a decree that has caused discord across Russia. Has he finally pushed his people too far? Guests: Zoya Sheftalovich - Contributing editor for POLITICO Dr Christina Ezrahi - Historian; author of Swans of the Kremlin and Dancing for Stalin Denis Volkov - Director - Levada Centre, Moscow Dr Yevgenia Albats - Chief Editor of The New Times Dr Mykhailo Minakov - Philosopher; Editor in Chief of Focus Ukraine blog from the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center

On 26 September, a series of underwater explosions destroyed a cluster of natural gas pipelines on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The pipes were designed to deliver gas directly from Russia to Germany, and the explosions exacerbated the already dire energy crisis in Europe. Everyone agrees it was sabotage, but nobody can agree on who did it.  Today: the mystery of the Baltic Sea bubbles, and the story of how Germany’s plan for peace-through-capitalism blew up in their face. Featuring: Dr James Henderson - Chairman of the Gas Research Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Michael Bociurkiw - Global Affairs Analyst and former spokesperson for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

What does war look like on the ground, for the soldiers who go off to fight? What’s it like to be sent into the muddy confusion of a battlefield, asked to lay down your life for your country? In this episode: two soldiers. A Ukrainian in his 50s and a Russian in his 20s. One of them is still on the battlefield. The other fought for a week, and is now serving a 15 year prison sentence. These two stories explain a lot about how Russia messed this up, and how Ukraine was far stronger than anyone realised. Guests: Isabella Higgins - ABC News Europe Correspondent Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop - ABC News Investigative Reporter Taras Rodtseyvich - Ukrainian Territorial Defence Volunteer; IT Manager Dr Paul Dibb - Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU; Former Director of the Australian Joint Intelligence Organisation Zoya Sheftalovich - contributing editor for POLITICO POW interview audio courtesy of Volodymyr Zolkin

Vladimir Putin's plan for a three day takeover of Ukraine relied on a quick strike to take out Volodymyr Zelenskyy - to kill him, to capture him, or to make him flee.  Putin assumed that Zelenskyy was weak, but on the very first day of the invasion, two events showed that Putin was wrong, and led to the transformation of a man into a symbol of defiance against Russian tyranny. Guests: Simon Shuster - Reporter for Time Magazine; author of an upcoming biography of Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zoya Sheftalovich - contributing editor for POLITICO Philip Short - Former BBC Moscow Correspondent; Author of Putin: His Life and Times Dr Paul Dibb - Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU; Former Director of the Australian Joint Intelligence Organisation POW interview audio courtesy of Volodymyr Zolkin

For 20 years the Russian President Vladimir Putin was happy to lurk in the shadows, trying and occasionally succeeding to manipulate the rest of the world into doing what he wanted them to do. But this year he chucked that out the window. His invasion of Ukraine has turned global security and the global economy upside down. In this episode we ask, why did he do it? Guests: Philip Short - Former BBC Moscow Correspondent; Author of Putin: His Life and Times Dr Yevgenia Albats - Chief Editor of The New Times Dr Mykhailo Minakov - Philosopher; Editor in Chief of Focus Ukraine blog from the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center Dr Paul Dibb - Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at ANU; Former Director of the Australian Joint Intelligence Organisation Simon Shuster - Reporter for Time Magazine; author of an upcoming biography of Volodymyr Zelenskyy

In the seventh season of If You're Listening, we tell the story of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Will Putin fulfil his dream of expanding the Russian empire, or has he made the biggest mistake of his life? Episode 1 drops Wednesday November 9!

Australia’s second-oldest city, Newcastle, was built around a single resource - coal. Since then, Australia has come to rely on coal for its prosperity. Our industries grew around the cheap energy it provided, and our global trade balance relies on its export. But now, that has to end. The question is - what will happen to Australia, and its coal communities - when it does? Guests: Professor John Maynard, Emeritus Professor, Indigenous Education and Research, University of Newcastle Dr Judith Brett - Emeritus Professor of Politics at La Trobe University, author of the Quarterly Essay The Coal Curse Julie Baird - Director of Newcastle Museum Stephen Galilee - CEO of the NSW Minerals Council Scott Hamilton, Australia-German Energy Transition Hub & former energy policy advisor to federal and Victorian governments Wendy Farmer - Voices of the Valley Darren Chester - Federal Nationals Member for Gippsland

The sixth season of If You’re Listening tells the story of Australia’s turbulent history with climate change, and what that means for the future. As we approach a federal election where climate and energy is a key battleground, this 8 episode series will examine how Australia wasted decades fighting change, instead of capitalising on it. Episode 1 launches on February 23.

For months commentators and politicians in Australia have been talking about one of the most frightening topics imaginable — a war between the United States and China over the island of Taiwan. It's the last frozen remnant of a hundred year old Civil War — two governments both claiming to be the legitimate rulers of China, separated by 100 miles of ocean. In this episode, we explain the bizarre story which led to the current tension, and look at what might happen next. Guests: Katherine Wei, Taiwan Correspondent, The Straits Times Malcolm Turnbull, former Australian Prime Minister Dr Helen Sham-ho OAM, first Chinese-born MP in an Australian parliament

When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the shutdown of travel from China, it shone a harsh light on the way Australia treats Chinese students who come here to study. Some feel isolated and discriminated against, others feel they are being treated as "cash cows" by a university sector desperate for their fees. Can we do better? And can we handle it when problems arise inside the bubble we have created around Chinese students? Guests: Dr Fran Martin, associate Professor & Reader in Cultural Studies, University of Melbourne Catriona Jackson, CEO, Universities Australia Yaqiu Wang, researcher, Human Rights Watch 'Yuki', former University of Adelaide student Jane Poon, Australia-Hong Kong Link

From humble beginnings in a tiny town whose name means "deep drainage ditch", electrical engineer Ren Zhengfei grew his company Huawei into a global technology giant, delivering competitive telecommunications equipment at low prices. But when Australia accused Huawei of being a security risk, a snowball began to roll which led to arrests, hostages being taken, and pure white hot fury in Beijing. This is the story of how a decision made in the midst of a Prime Ministerial spill may lead to a new technology cold war. Guests: Sue-Lin Wong, China correspondent, The Economist and co-author of The Beijing Bureau: 25 Australian Correspondents Reporting China's Rise Malcolm Turnbull, former Australian Prime Minister

When China rolled out their trade sanctions regime against Australia to try and punish us for a litany of perceived insults, the trade of one commodity was conspicuously left untouched. China's desperate need to stimulate economic growth through construction has left them with an insatiable appetite for Australian iron ore. In this episode, we look at the incredible things they've built using our most valuable resource, and what might happen if they decide to stop buying it. Guests: Dinny McMahon, author of China's Great Wall of Debt: Shadow Banks, Ghost Cities, Massive Loans and the End of the Chinese Miracle Dr Feng Chongyi, Associate Professor in China Studies, University of Technology, Sydney Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister

In 1989, five days after tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square in Beijing and brutally ended weeks of protests, the then prime minister Bob Hawke gave a horrifying description of what Australia thought happened. But where did the account come from? And what did it get wrong? Over the past three months China, If You're Listening investigated the source of this description and found it was a previously undisclosed diplomatic cable from the Australian Embassy in Beijing, which subsequently had key details retracted. This is a bonus episode, produced with our friends at The Signal — a daily ABC News podcast. Guests: Blanche d'Alpuget, biographer and wife of late former prime minister Bob Hawke Richard Rigby, Emeritus Professor of the College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra Craig Emerson, former advisor to Bob Hawke, and cabinet minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments

For decades Australia has taken the approach that when it comes to China; we can criticise their human rights record without risking our trading relationship. We told China we disapproved of their crackdown on students at Tiananmen Square in 1989, but continued to sell them iron ore. Xi Jinping has made it clear that the arrangement has now changed, as he simultaneously takes the lessons Beijing learned at Tiananmen, and applies them to a crackdown on Muslims in his country's far west. Guests: Rose Tang, 1989 Tiananmen Square protester Alim Osman, president, Uyghur Association of Victoria Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister Yaqiu Wang, researcher, Human Rights Watch

At first glance, Chinese President Xi Jinping's life story seems simple. His father was a high-ranking Chinese government official, and opened doors for his son, who rose even higher. But his rise to become the most powerful Chinese leader since Chairman Mao Zedong seems far more unlikely when you find out what Mao's policies did to Xi's family during his childhood. In this episode we tell the story of Xi's — from its terrifying beginning to mysterious end — and ask if he is the catalyst for the deterioration of relations between China and Australia. Guest: Dr Joseph Torigian, expert on Chinese elite politics, American University Dr Feng Chongyi — Associate Professor in China Studies — University of Technology, Sydney Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister Louisa Lim, author of The People's Republic of Amnesia and co-host of The Little Red Podcast Dr Helen Sham-ho OAM, first Chinese-born MP in an Australian Parliament

A podcast about how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse. Not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping was regularly having warm, friendly chats with Australia's Prime Ministers. Now, he won't even take our phone calls, trade is being blocked, and Australian politicians are talking about preparations for war. Episode 1 coming on the 1st of June.

When the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, killing hundreds of thousands in its wake, President Donald Trump's new way of running the country suddenly left America exposed.

For a decade Donald Trump railed against China. But once he was elected, Chinese President Xi Jinping quickly broke down Trump's defences. In today's episode, how President Xi turned Trump's disdain for China into a beautiful friendship. And created the perfect distraction from what China was really doing.

Just this month, the public finally got access to Donald Trump's tax returns. They revealed that he pays little to no tax, because he makes very little money. So what does a businessman do when he needs to revamp his image and make a little cash? Become the most famous person in the world. How Donald Trump tried to make money off the Presidency.

Donald Trump ran for election on some promises - building a wall between the US and Mexico, and stopping the immigration of Muslims. But instead of living up to his promise to stem the tide of immigrants, he resorted to truly shocking measures. How did Donald Trump push America's immigration system to the limits of what is legal, and what is morally justifiable?

When George Floyd was killed by police, protestors took to the streets in worldwide support of the Black Lives Matter protests. Donald Trump has a long history with speaking out on issues to do with race. So how far did his law and order response go toward soothing America's centuries old racial divide. When Donald Trump was elected, he promised to Make America Proud Again but did he just end up making it worse?

As a businessman and presidential candidate, Donald Trump was extremely harsh on Saudi Arabia. So when Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside a Saudi consulate, why did Donald Trump come to the Kingdom's defence?

Within months of taking office, Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury". Soon afterwards, he would tear up a nuclear deal with Iran and bring the US to the brink of war. And yet that war never came. This is the story of how Donald Trump resisted temptation and kept the peace.

The most powerful gun lobby group in the United States was brought to the edge of collapse. And right at that moment, Donald Trump vowed to do something about mass shootings. Could Donald Trump finally defeat the NRA, or when the moment came, did he flinch?

Hurricane Maria smashed through Puerto Rico in 2017, destroying everything in its wake. What did the worst American natural disaster in decades teach Donald Trump about how to be president? When Trump was inaugurated, he promised to Make America Safe Again... when the hurricane hit, did he live up to his promise? This is America, If You’re Listening. A podcast about how President Donald Trump has left his mark on the United States, and the world.

The 2020 US Presidential election is shaping up to be a historical moment. Voters are deciding if the America of the last four years is the one they want to live in in the future. President Trump's has presided over the most turbulent four years in living memory. He's dealt with crises, changed policies, and fought for his political survival. America, If You're Listening will look back at these astonishing four years, and shed new light on the incredible chaos of Donald Trump's first term as President.

You might think Trump's impeachment inquiry started because of a dodgy phone call to the Ukrainian President. But the origins are actually in the Ukrainian gas industry - which is deeply corrupt and reliant on Russia - just the way Putin likes it. In 2014, Joe Biden flew to Ukraine to try and break their Russian gas addiction. And started the dominoes falling which would eventually lead to Donald Trump's infamous request for a favour.

Like all dictators, Vladimir Putin is terrified of being overthrown by his people. Keeping his popularity high among average Russians is a priority for him, and from 2014 to 2018 he was king of the mountain. To keep that going in 2018 he announced an exciting new nuclear-powered nuclear missile. But that's where things started to go wrong.

In 2006, Russian assassins killed a dissident in London. But they left a spectacular radioactive mess behind them and ended up in a Moscow hospital. But this wasn't the worst example of spycraft in England over the last two decades. One attack went so disastrously wrong it made the United Kingdom finally wake up to the threat of Putin's Kremlin. The story of how espionage screwups can have global consequences.

From almost complete obscurity, Nigel Farage rode a wave of British anger to take his idea of leaving the European Union from a fringe fantasy to a mainstream cause. But as Farage rose from community hall meetings to primetime TV debates, he found himself increasingly allied with Vladimir Putin. This is the story of how Mr Brexit came to recognise Putin's power and how it could help his cause.

German leader Angela Merkel was the most powerful woman in the world. Which is why Putin was determined to take her down. His campaign started by playing on her famous fear of dogs... and ended with the biggest migrant crisis the world had seen.

When is an invasion not an invasion? When Putin's propaganda machine is involved, sowing false narratives, confusion and fear.  From Putin's motorcycle gang to his 'little green men' and his hip-hop loving head of misinformation, Russia tried everything to convince the West it wasn't invading Ukraine. The propaganda push worked - sort of, and tells us a lot about the misinformation Russia has gone on to do in the West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power declaring he would kill his terrorist enemies, even if they were in the toilet at the time. His transition from spymaster to President came in the midst of apartment bombings, and brutal crackdowns on those he held responsible. He learned that having an enemy to fight makes you a popular leader. The turbulent first years of his Presidency tell us a lot about why he has picked a fight with the West.

The residents of the sleepy English town of Salisbury woke up one morning to find their town in chaos.  Russian agents had attempted to assassinate a traitor with a terrifying weapon, in a brazen chemical attack on British soil.  But the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal is only one step in a series of events which began five years ago and may help bring about Brexit, and the impeachment of a US President. Season 3 of Russia, If You're Listening begins in Salisbury, to tell the whole story of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 5-year attack on the western world.

The Russian campaign to meddle in the 2016 US Election was only part of President Vladimir Putin's big plan. Season 3 of Russia, If You're Listening looks at where the scheme to destroy western democracies began, the damage it's done, and where it might end.

It's the meeting at a fancy wine bar in London that sparked the Mueller investigation. Some say it was a boozy, alcohol-fuelled drinking session where a clever spy tricked a Trump official into divulging information about Russia. Others say it was a brief encounter where a Trump official naively blurted something to a senior diplomat. So what is the truth? For the first time, both people at the meeting - George Papadopoulos and Alexander Downer - reveal what really happened that night. Here's one spoiler: they agree they both had a gin and tonic. So pull up a chair and grab a drink, because this story gets weird.

Robert Mueller has investigated the relationship between former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. Deripaska is an aluminium tycoon with close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Manafort tried to funnel secret insider information about the Trump election strategy to him. Was that information then used by Russia to influence the election? The story behind the last remaining collusion question.

Lawyer Don McGahn was on the Trump train from the beginning. But the dream job of White House Counsel quickly turned into a nightmare, as he slowly fell out of favour with the President. Then one night McGahn was forced to make a choice of historic proportions: help Trump potentially commit a crime or resign. McGahn has found himself the centre of attention, as his testimony to Robert Mueller implicates the President in possible obstruction of justice.

When Julian Assange was arrested last week, the only camera to capture it was Russian broadcaster RT. It's the latest event in a long relationship between the Wikileaks founder and the state-sponsored network. Assange has denied working with Russian military hackers to influence the US election. But what does Robert Mueller know about Assange’s links to Russia?

Everyone who meets Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak ends up in deep trouble. But what if that was the point? Robert Mueller seems to have found no evidence that the Trump campaign were willing participants in the criminal Russian effort to disrupt the 2016 election. But what if the Trump campaign were unwitting targets of a spy operation, led from the Russian Embassy Were they tricked into taking pointless but suspicious-looking meetings - which the media and FBI would discover and investigate?

Affable Englishman Rob Goldstone was literally in the room for the infamous Trump Tower Meeting, and he was with Donald Trump the weekend of the mythical "pee tape". But when you look at the rest of the characters involved in the Trump/Russia saga - Republican operatives, Trump family members and Russian spies - Rob Goldstone seems like the odd man out. He puts a lot of his story down to accidents and misunderstandings, but is that all there is to it? You can get a link to the full interview on our website.

An undercover Australian journalist from Al Jazeera spent three years inside the National Rifle Association of America. He wasn't the only one trying figure it out. Simultaneously, a Russian secret agent was trying to infiltrate the NRA. She is now the only Russian secret agent behind bars for Russia's meddling in the election, and could hold the key to understanding Putin's plans.

After 22 months Mueller's report has dropped. But it hasn't been made public - yet. US Attorney General Bill Barr has the report in his hot hands - and according to him - Mueller found no evidence of collusion. But who is Bill Barr? And can we trust his summary of Mueller's findings?

We end the season with the head of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election - Robert Mueller. He's been taking down key players, circling closer and closer to Donald Trump. But can he finish before the President shuts him down? This is our last deep dive into a key character in the Russia investigation for this season, but we'll keep you updated with Trumpdates every time an important development in the story breaks. Keep an eye on your feed. Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.

Michael Cohen is called Donald Trump's personal lawyer, but really he's a "fixer" - a man who solves problems for the boss. It all came unstuck when investigators probed into hush money payments he made to a model and a porn star. He pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts, and announced he was happy to tell the truth to anyone who asked for it. So what information will he give up and should Trump be worried? Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.

Felix Sater's life is a mystery. He went to jail for stabbing a guy in the face, he was involved with the Russian Mafia, and was an informant for the CIA. He also helped Donald Trump build his property empire. So are there any secrets? And what does he know?

Donald Trump's business flourished with the 80s real estate boom and bled money when the recession hit. These days no one really knows how much he really has. Why the secrecy? Today, the story of the Trump Organization, and when Russian money might have ended up in his pocket.

Former FBI director James Comey is both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's biggest nightmare. He's the grandson of a cop with a dogged commitment to integrity, independence and note taking. But could his integrity be what cost Hillary Clinton the election? And did it cause Donald Trump to commit a crime?

General Michael Flynn was a high ranking defence official and a Democrat before he joined up with Donald Trump. He's now accused of planning a kidnapping, acting illegally as an unregistered foreign agent, and found guilty of lying to the FBI. Why was he allowed to stay in the White House when he was compromised by the Russian Government?

Jared Kushner was in charge of getting his father-in-law Donald Trump elected president. He was a young property developer with no political experience and crushing debts. And he went from one family besieged by scandal, to another. So who is this man prepared to defend first, his father, then his father-in-law? Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.

An army of professional Russian trolls tried to change the outcome of the 2016 US election from a four storey building in St Petersburg. Did the dirty trickster Roger Stone help them? And was the Troll Factory ultimately successful? Language warning: This episode contains some swearing. You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.

Hacking, leaking, and the spreading of chaos. How Russian Government hackers timed a Democratic National Committee email leak with Hillary Clinton's biggest scandal. This week, we find out how Russia stepped over the line and tried to influence the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential Election. This is the ninth episode of Russia, If You're Listening. Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation. You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.

In 2016 Don Jr took an ill-fated meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower. The meeting is a pivotal moment in the entire story of Trump and Russia and has since been called "treasonous" and "unpatriotic". So is the meeting it a smoking gun or was it all just a waste of time? This is the eighth episode of Russia, If You're Listening. Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation. You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.

Veteran Republican strategist Paul Manafort spent 30 years working for dictators before he struck gold in Ukraine. But when he returned to America and became the boss of the Trump campaign, his past caught up with him. How did this man get landed with over a dozen federal indictments, and why is he still refusing to flip? This is the seventh episode of Russia, If You're Listening. Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation. You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.

Christopher Steele is the author of the infamous Trump/Russia dossier. You remember - the one that contains allegations about sex workers urinating on a hotel bed. But there's so much more to the dossier than that. It outlines a massive conspiracy between Donald Trump and the Russian government - a list of allegations which, if proven, would constitute by-far the biggest attack on American democracy in history. But is Christopher Steele a credible Russia expert? How likely is it that what's written in the dossier ever took place? This is the sixth episode of Russia, If You're Listening. Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation. You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.