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?  

After attacks from Israel and the United States bombing of a nuclear facility, Iran is cracking down on dissent, while dealing with reimposed sanctions from western powers. Could these sanctions bring Iran closer to China? Plus, a new history of the Australian physicist Mark Oliphant, who made possible Oppenheimer's atomic bomb. 

Bruce Shapiro discusses how long the U.S. government shutdown might last, and why ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents are causing turmoil on American streets. Veteran journalist Irris Makler, reports on the two years since the October 7 Hamas attacks and examines Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza. Plus, a look at New Zealand’s bold mission to eliminate all invasive predators by 2050.

The Dutch historian Rutger Bregman is calling on the world's best and brightest to quit their corporate jobs and show some more 'moral ambition', to build a better world. And botanical hysteria in Victorian England. How wealthy orchid fanatics sent hunters around the world in search of the ultimate bloom.

*This show originally aired on 08 May 2025.