Dr Kirsty Sword Gusmao’s life has been marked by the most astonishing, cinematic twists and turns. From a quiet childhood in regional Victoria to clandestine work smuggling East Timorese men to safety, from falling in love with an imprisoned resistance fighter to First Lady of Timor-Leste. 

Now settled back in Australia, Kirsty joins Phillip Adams to reflect on an incredible thirty years of service to her adopted nation.  

Dr Kirsty Sword Gusmao (AO) is the founder of the Alola Foundation.

From resistance to a life of service: Timor-Leste then and now

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Philosopher A.C. Grayling joined Phillip in the studio to explain why he's turned his gaze to the moon. In his 32nd book - Who Owns the Moon: In Defence of Humanity’s Common Interests in Space - Grayling urges us to think of the new space race not as some pie-in-the-sky futuristic notion but instead a reality that is unfolding now.  

Guest: A.C. Grayling is Principal of Northeastern University London and the author of more than 30 books.

Why mining on the moon could lead to conflict on Earth

Millions of Palestinians live in Jordan, where rage about the suffering in Gaza has reached a boiling point.

Guest: Lebanese/Australian journalist Rania Abouzeid reports on the unrest in the Middle East from Beirut, Lebanon.

Jordan in uproar over treatment of Palestinians

Aaron Bateman traces the development and vulnerabilities of the technologies that connect us, from undersea cables first laid in 1858 to shortwave radio and then to a new generation of satellites in the 21st century.

How the world got connected

Since 2018, journalist Alisa Sopova and photographer Anastasia Taylor-Lind have documented everyday life near the conflict zone in Ukraine, capturing the lives lost or interrupted as the war escalates. They join Phillip in person to talk about their collaborative project 5k From the Frontline, their own stories of trauma and survival, and share a poem or two as well.

Snapshots of life in a warzone

Two UK high court judges have granted Julian Assange the right to a fresh appeal against the decision to extradite him to the USA to face 17 charges of espionage. The judges were not convinced by the assurances lawyers for the US government gave that Julian would be able to rely on first amendments rights to free speech for journalists. Stella Assange explains what needs to happen next. 

Guest: Stella Assange, wife of Julian Assange

From resistance to a life of service: Timor-Leste then and now

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