Late Night Live — Full program podcast

Anna Henderson looks at what changes the government is trying to make to environment protection laws and why the Coalition wants to split the bill. How an Indonesia-based surveillance company tracked journalists, activists and dissidents all over the world, and the scientists using artificial intelligence to understand whale language. 

Today, we look backwards. Gough Whitlam's dismissal didn't come out of nowhere; 1974 and 1975 were years of intense political turmoil and scandal. Paul Kelly was there, in his late-20s, as The Australian newspaper's chief political correspondent, and has become one of the chief chroniclers of the dynamics that led to The Dismissal. 

Political ghosts haunt Russia, as well. But there's a very specific belief, held by some Russian occultists, that the ghost of Stalin is haunting their country and can be contacted through the internet.

The famous Benin bronzes, looted by the British in 1897, are gradually being returned home to Nigeria. But they won't be on display at Benin City's new Museum of West African Art when it opens next month. Plus, classicist Professor Marguerite Johnson on understandings and expressions of love in antiquity.

Bruce Shapiro looks at Anthony Albanese's first meeting with US President Donald Trump and whether the critical minerals deal will see Australia become America's quarry. The little Dutch-speaking country of Suriname in South America has been ruled by a despot for years. But now it has elected its first female president who is promising to turn its fortunes around, and save its rainforests at the same time. Plus, why is the world running out of sand, and what can be done about it? 

Crikey's Bernard Keane on Barnaby Joyce's decision to quit the Nationals. There's speculation the New England MP may join the One Nation party. Pulitzer prize winning journalist Chris Hedges slams the Western media's reporting of Gaza and the power of the Israel lobby. And why epidemiologist Professor Fiona Stanley, considered asking the Perth hospital named after her, to remove her name. 

Tim Minchin turned fifty this year and just ran a marathon for the first time. He's returned home to Australia, with his new album Time Machine, and his tour 'Songs the World Will Never Hear'. In this special one hour conversation, David speaks to Tim about the joys of running, quitting social media and worrying less.

• GUEST: Tim Minchin
• PRODUCER: Ali Benton

Historian and former intelligence officer Clinton Fernandes says there's method to the apparent madness of the second Trump administration's approach to foreign policy. Plus as hostages are returned and a ceasefire holds, historian Ilan Pappe considers the uncertain future of Israel. 

Ian Dunt examines the role that the UK played in the Gaza ceasefire, and Keir Starmer crosses a personal Rubicon: he's criticising Brexit in public. In Madagascar, youth protesters have taken cues from the Gen Z uprising in Nepal and chased their president from the country. Then: the gender revolution in the sky, with the rise of the air hostess.

Political editor at Guardian Australia, Tom Mcllroy, on why the government has watered down its superannuation tax plan, the wonders of cloud-watching, and why aren't more people speaking Esperanto?

One of the 51 men convicted men of raping French woman Gisele Pelicot is appealing his conviction, arguing he didn’t know that she hadn’t given her consent. While French feminists argue consent should be explicitly included in French law, philosopher and author Manon Garcia says cultural understandings of consent, addressing patterns of violence and shoring up support in our criminal and civil courts are more important. Plus, why are our cities and towns devoid of any shade?