Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the USA, drafted the words 'all men are created equal', in the US Declaration of Independence. He wanted slavery to end, but mainly because he was deeply worried about slaves revolting against the white population.  He also thought the new nation would not be taken seriously if it was mixed race. He wanted to banish all black people from the US. 

• Guest: Nicholas Guyatt, Professor of North American History at Cambridge University. Co-author, with Christa Dierksheide, of ‘Jefferson’s Wolf: a founding father’s troubling answer to the problem of slavery’  (Harvard University Press, May 2026)
• Producer: Ann Arnold

The rules have changed. Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman's Regime Change takes readers inside Donald Trump's second presidency, arguing it marks the most sweeping expansion of presidential power in generations.

Guest:

• Jonathan Swan, Journalist with New York Times and co-author, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump 

In India, walking the streets can be a dangerous daily challenge. For decades, roads have been designed around cars and motorbikes, leaving pedestrians to navigate broken, blocked and unsafe footpaths. Now, India’s Supreme Court has stepped in, declaring safe access to footpaths a fundamental right. What does this mean for the future of India’s streets?

Guest: Rishi Aggarwal, Founder and Director at Mumbai Sustainability Centre

Producer: Ali Benton

Ian Dunt joins David Marr moments before Reform UK's Nigel Farage announces his resignation as MP.  Farage is under investigation from Parliament's standards commissioner after not declaring a £5m gift he received in 2024 - before his election - from billionaire donor Christopher Harbornen. He is also facing questions about 'gifts' received from another supporter, convicted criminal George Cottrell. Farage denies any wrongdoing, and has vowed to win back his seat in a by-election. 

• Guest: Ian Dunt: iNews columnist and regular Late Night Live commentator
• Producer: Ali Benton 

The criminalising of homosexuality is being either adopted, or strengthened, in one country after another in Africa. That continent has the biggest cluster of countries with anti-gay laws - more than 30, out of 54 African countries, have made it illegal to have homosexual relationships, and in some cases, to support those who do.

• Guest: Larissa Kojoue, African human rights researcher with Human Rights Watch, with a focus on LGBTQI+ rights. Queer feminist from Cameroon, based in Lyon, France
• Producer: Ann Arnold 

Australia is home to one of the world's premier collections of ancient coins, held at The Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies (ACANS), part of Macquarie University. Its new director celebrates its treasures, currently being digitised for the world. 

Guest: 

• Associate Professor in History and Archaeology at Macquarie University, Director of ACANS

Where authoritarian leaders once coerced their citizens with brute force, they increasingly rely on public support through manipulation. Misinformation, conspiracy theories and exploiting existing fears are among the tools of trade.

• Guest: Assaf Sharon, Professor of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University. Co-founder and Senior Fellow at Molad: The Center for the Renewal of Israeli Democracy. Co-author, with Avishai Margalit, of ‘Captive minds: a study of manipulation’ (Harvard University Press, May 2026)
• Producer: Ann Arnold

Liberal frontbenchers say a coalition with One Nation is not part of party discussions, amid a rise in the minor party's popularity. MPs are distancing themselves from remarks by Liberal Party president Tony Abbott, who linked migration to the "diluting" of Anglo-Celtic culture.

• Guest: Professor Mark Kenny, Australian Studies Institute, ANU

As the United States celebrates 250 years of Independence, what were the driving motivations of America's revolutionary leader - and first president - George Washington? Professor Colin G. Calloway details Washington's intense interest in land speculation, in the vast native territories west of the Appalachian mountains.

Guest: 

• Colin G Calloway, Professor of history at Dartmouth College, author of The Indian World of George Washington 

Even before the North American colonies declared independence 250 years ago this week, they refused to take Britain's convicts. After losing America, the UK turned instead to Botany Bay. That's the story many of us grew up with. But a new generation of historians argues Australia wasn't founded simply to solve a prison crisis—it was the first expression of a more ruthless British Empire after the American Revolution.

• Guest: Kate Fullagar, Professor of history at the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University