In the wake of two major assassinations of a Hezbollah commander in Beirut and a Hamas leader in Tehran, both at least ostensibly by Israel, former Mossad director Efraim Halevy issues a surprisingly critical assessment of Israel’s strategy for the broader Middle East. Plus, former US Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale gives some much-needed context on Hezbollah’s engagement in the conflict, and what diplomacy might achieve, should cooler heads prevail.

Recommendations:

Hamish: Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan

Geraldine: The Lammy Doctrine by Jason Cowley in The New Statesman

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There's been a whole lotta love for Kamala, particularly on social media this week. But is she really a better candidate than Biden? What are her economic; her foreign policy credentials? Does she have what it takes to beat Trump? Geraldine and Hamish have thoughts... 

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Turn on the news and you are confronted with the fact that the United States, and US-led systems, are not what they once were. Kishore Mahbubani argues that the West has lost its shine and that Australia should be looking to its Asian neighbours for a stronger future. But is this really the Asian century? 

Guest: Kishore Mahbubani, Singaporean Diplomat and former president of the UN Security Council. 

Recommendations: 

Geraldine: Biden, Trump, and Washington's Wishful Thinking - A conversation with Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs 

Hamish: Measuring the power of the Global South - Kishore Mahbubani, Chatham House

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What could another Trump Presidency mean for the world order? 

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

Where have all the centrists gone? And how have the far-right taken hold of politics in the west? 

Do you ever want to hide from the headlines? With 1 in 4 people now saying they are worn out by the news and many turning to a fragmented social media news landscape for their information we explore what's gone wrong in recent years, and what we might do about it. 

Guests:

Marty Baron: American Journalist, Editor of The Washington Post 2012 to 2021 and author of a new memoir called Collision of Power. 

Recommendations:

Geraldine: The Bright Side with Sabra Lane on ABC Listen

Hamish:  All the Presidents Men, book by Woodward and Bernstein 

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You know things aren't good when Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un sign a mutual defence pact... could it be that a powerful new anti-western axis is emerging between Russia, China, North Korea and Iran? Plus, we get an insight into how Ukrainians feel about being caught in this geopolitical quagmire. 

Guests:

Alisa Sopova - Ukrainian journalist and anthropologist.

Sir Lawrence Freedman - Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London.

Recommendations:

Geraldine: We’re in 1938 now: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history - Patrick Wintour in the Guardian.

Hamish: Premier Li Qiang’s visit has Malaysia wanting more from China pivot - Financial Times.

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​The high-profile visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang signals warming relations between Canberra and Beijing, but could it be indicative of deeper economic and political anxieties in China? What is it, really, that China wants from us? 

Guest: Richard McGregor - former Beijing bureau chief for the Financial Times, author of Xi Jinping: The Backlash and Senior Fellow for East Asia at the Lowy Institute.

Recommendations:

Geraldine - reading: We’re in 1938 now’: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history article by Patrick Wintour

Hamish - reading: The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule, and Fall book by Eliot Cohen

You can also listen to Hamish's interview with Eliot Cohen and Fintan O'Toole on the Big Weekend of Books on the ABC Listen App 

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In India, Mexico and South Africa, frustrations and hopes have been borne out at polling booths, with extraordinary results. Geraldine and Hamish take an in depth look at South Africa, which is about to enter an exciting new phase both at home and abroad.

Guests:

Lynsey Chutel - reporter for The New York Times based in Johannesburg. 

Melanie Verwoerd - former Member of Parliament for the ANC, the former Ambassador to Ireland, and the former Director of UNICEF- Ireland. 

Recommendations:

Geraldine - watching: A Life in Ten Pictures Season 2 - Nelson Mandela on ABC iView

Reading: Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage book by Jonny Steinberg

Hamish - watching: Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Nkosi Sikelela (Live At Montreux 1989) on Youtube

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]