All eyes have been on China this week, as dozens of world leaders arrived to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and China's 'Victory Day' military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WW2. 

Not only was it a chance for leaders like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-Un and - perhaps most surprisingly - Narendra Modi, to mingle, it sent a striking image to the Western world that while the US-led global order under Donald Trump seems to be decaying, a powerful new alignment of countries is taking place, with China at the forefront.

Guests:

Einar Tangen - Senior Fellow, Taihe Institute and the founder and chairman of Asia Narratives.

Bob Carr - Former Australian Foreign Minister and former Premier of NSW.

Recommendations:

Hamish: Trump says he’s determined to weaken China. He’s doing the opposite - Peter Hartcher, SMH

Kylie: The Emperor of Gladness - Ocean Vuong

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Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Following the confirmation of famine in part of Gaza by the UN-backed IPC, Hamish Macdonald and guest host Kylie Morris speak to Anera's Gaza Branch Director Yazdan El-Amawi about what the situation is actually like for those living in Gaza. 

They also speak to Jodie Clark, who has decades of experience distributing humanitarian aid and worked most recently as Senior Logistics Coordinator for UNRWA, running the border crossing at Rafah. She explains how Israel's policies have made getting aid into Gaza increasingly difficult and she gives a shocking assessment of what is needed to break the famine. 

Recommendations:

Kylie: Hostage - Mini series on Netflix

Hamish: Dust - Book by Michael Brissenden

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Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. 

The Australian government has accused Iran of directing two antisemitic attacks in Australia and, for the first time since World War Two, has expelled an ambassador. They've also announced that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be designated as a terrorist organisation. 

Who are the IRGC and what motivated them to target Australia? Hamish Mcdonald and Kylie Morris react to the breaking news and discuss the significance of the day's developments. 

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He's young, he's slick, he's social media savvy and he rules with an iron first. Meet Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador who has quickly become an icon of the global right. 

He might style himself as the 'world's coolest dictator' and a 'philosopher king', but this leader is not like other authoritarian rulers. For a start, he's incredibly popular both at home and abroad - befriending the likes of Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. His rapid crackdown on gang-related crime has been labelled the 'Bukele miracle' and is being seen everywhere from Ecuador to America as a model to emulate. But it hasn't come without a steep cost... 

Journalist Vera Bergengruen is one of the only foreign journalists to have met and interviewed President Nayib Bukele. She wrote a profile of him for TIME Magazine. She speaks to Geraldine Doogue (2025 Andrew Olle lecture) and Hamish Macdonald (ABC Sydney Mornings, The Project) about what Nayib Bukele is really like. 

Recommendations:

Geraldine: How are drones changing the landscape of modern warfare?   | BBC, The Inquiry podcast.

Hamish: The 'evil drug' and court case that almost broke Alex Lloyd | Australian Story

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It’s not every day a foreign leader calls the Australian Prime Minister “weak” and accuses him of betraying the country’s Jewish community. But that’s exactly what Benjamin Netanyahu did this week, after the Albanese government announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian state and cancelled a visa for far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman.  Meanwhile, over in Washington, Donald Trump hosted Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, this time flanked by a chorus of European leaders including Macron, Starmer and Meloni.  

In this bonus episode, Geraldine and Hamish analyse the two big foreign policy dramas that have been lighting up headlines this week. 

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It's all eyes on Alaska as the summit between President Trump, President Putin and possibly President Zelensky looms. The stakes of these peace talks - for Ukraine, for Russia and for the West - are incredibly high. 

Given his cool and confident exterior, we wondered about the cards Putin currently holds in his hand. How strong is his position not only in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but at home? Has his grip on power ever been tighter? 

To find out, Geraldine Doogue (2025 Andrew Olle lecture) and Hamish Macdonald (ABC Sydney Mornings, The Project) spoke to Anna Nemtsova - an award-winning Russian-born journalist who grew up in the Soviet Union and now writes for publications like The Daily Beast and The Atlantic. The picture that Anna painted of life inside Russia today was... surprising, to say the least! 

Recommendations:

Hamish: Hamas built an underground war machine to ensure its own survival - Washington Post

Geraldine: The cold war guru whose warnings on Russia still stand - The Rachman Review podcast

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In a historic move, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this afternoon announced that Australia will move to recognise a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly next month, with a condition that terror group Hamas play no role in its future governance. Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald react to the news and discuss the significance of Australia's decision to follow other Western governments in taking this step. They also question what comes next, how Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might react to the news and whether this can actually make any difference on the ground in Gaza. 

Want to share your thoughts with us about today's news?

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Where do the arms involved in conflicts worldwide come from and who bears responsibility for how they are used in war?

The US is by far the world's largest weapons manufacturer and exporter, accounting for around 40% of global exports. 

Many of these arms go to Israel and transfers have been supercharged since the start of the military assault on Gaza. 

Australia is also a player in the global arms trade, with a particular manufacturing role in the F-35 joint strike fighter program. 

With the Australian government taking a strong line on the humanitarian situation, why are we simultaneously transferring component parts for military jets that are striking Gaza?

Guest: Josh Paul, former Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, in the US Department of State who resigned in protest at US arms shipments to Israel 

Statement from the Australian Department of Defence:

"Australia has not supplied weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Israel-Gaza conflict began and not for at least the past five years.

The F-35 relies on a global supply chain – one that is centrally coordinated by Lockheed Martin and the US Government.

As a part of the global F-35 supply chain, Australian industry contributes components and parts, but the Australian Government does not have a direct bilateral arrangement with the Government of Israel in relation to the F-35 program."

Recommendations:

Geraldine: VJ Day in Australia newsreel, British Movietone

Hamish: 'The World Since October 7', Adam Shatz in the London Review of Books

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This week, the prospect of Palestinian statehood suddenly became tangible, with the UK, France and Canada promising to recognise Palestine at the UN general assembly in September. 

Whether Australia will follow suit remains to be seen.  

What can history tell us about the formation of new states out of violent conflict? 

Guest: Sir Christopher Clark, professor of history at the University of Cambridge 

Recommendations:

Geraldine: 'The wrong way to respond to antisemitism', Inside Story

Hamish: Andrew Olle Media Lecture 2025, presented by Geraldine Doogue, ABC iView

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