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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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?

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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?

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Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR8c10Tkb3E