Before 24-hour news, Washington’s most powerful journalists got their scoops over dinner — with generals, senators and senior officials. These invitation-only gatherings created a privileged pipeline between the press and the people running America’s Cold War.Guest: Kathryn McGarr, Associate Professor at the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Madison, Wisconsin.Producer: Ali Benton

Before 24-hour news, Washington’s most powerful journalists got their scoops over dinner — with generals, senators and senior officials. These invitation-only gatherings created a privileged pipeline between the press and the people running America’s Cold War. Guest: Kathryn McGarr, Associate Professor at the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Madison, Wisconsin. Producer: Ali Benton

The secret dinners behind Cold War journalism

The wealth and power of American elders was epitomised in the US 2024 election, with Joe Biden vs Donald Trump. But elder power spreads beyond political leadership, and is preventing the US from becoming as forward thinking and economically successful as it could be, our guest argues.<ul><li>Guest: Samuel Moyn, the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. Author of 'Gerontocracy in America: how the old are hoarding power and wealth, and what to do about it' (Macmillan, 2026)  </li><li>Producer: Ann Arnold</li></ul>

The wealth and power of American elders was epitomised in the US 2024 election, with Joe Biden vs Donald Trump. But elder power spreads beyond political leadership, and is preventing the US from becoming as forward thinking and economically successful as it could be, our guest argues.Guest: Samuel Moyn, the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. Author of 'Gerontocracy in America: how the old are hoarding power and wealth, and what to do about it' (Macmillan, 2026) Producer: Ann Arnold

The&nbsp;wealth and power&nbsp;of American elders&nbsp;was&nbsp;epitomised&nbsp;in the US 2024 election, with Joe Biden vs Donald Trump.&nbsp;But elder power spreads beyond political leadership, and is preventing the US from becoming as forward thinking and economically successful as it could be, our guest argues.<ul><li>Guest: Samuel Moyn, the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. Author of 'Gerontocracy in America: how the old are hoarding power and wealth, and what to do about it' (Macmillan, 2026) &nbsp;</li><li>Producer: Ann Arnold</li></ul>

Gerontocracy - how the dominance of the old is holding America back

Europe is a land of legendary rivers. For centuries, they've fed cities, transported great armies and powered modern industry. But this summer, after a series of exceptional heatwaves, the Rhine, Danube, Loire and Po have all shrunk to record lows. Ben Coates, author of a 2019 book about the Rhine, discusses what the drying up of Europe’s rivers means for the continent and its future.<ul><li>Guest: Ben Coates, journalist and columnist based in the Netherlands. Ben is the author of <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/ben-coates/the-rhine-following-europes-greatest-river-from-amsterdam-to-the-alps">The Rhine: following Europe's greatest river from Amsterdam to the Alps</a> His article about Europe's dying rivers is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/opinion/europe-rivers-danube-rhine-drought.html">here</a></li><li>Producers: Ann Arnold and Julie Street</li></ul>

Europe is a land of legendary rivers. For centuries, they've fed cities, transported great armies and powered modern industry. But this summer, after a series of exceptional heatwaves, the Rhine, Danube, Loire and Po have all shrunk to record lows. Ben Coates, author of a 2019 book about the Rhine, discusses what the drying up of Europe’s rivers means for the continent and its future.Guest: Ben Coates, journalist and columnist based in the Netherlands. Ben is the author of The Rhine: following Europe's greatest river from Amsterdam to the Alps His article about Europe's dying rivers is hereProducers: Ann Arnold and Julie Street

Europe is a land of legendary rivers. For centuries, they've fed cities, transported great armies and powered modern industry. But this summer, after a series of exceptional heatwaves, the Rhine, Danube, Loire and Po have all shrunk to record lows. Ben Coates, author of a 2019 book about the Rhine, discusses what the drying up of Europe’s rivers means for the continent and its future.<ul><li>Guest: Ben Coates, journalist and columnist based in the Netherlands. Ben is the author of <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/ben-coates/the-rhine-following-europes-greatest-river-from-amsterdam-to-the-alps" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Rhine: following Europe's greatest river from Amsterdam to the Alps</a> His article about Europe's dying rivers is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/opinion/europe-rivers-danube-rhine-drought.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a></li><li>Producers: Ann Arnold and Julie Street</li></ul>

Rivers are Europe's lifeblood. Now they're dying

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore traces 125 years of war, revolution, upheaval and revival in the Middle East. From the final days of the Ottoman Empire to to the current Iran-US conflict, Simon's new book <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/simon-sebag-montefiore/the-cauldron-the-making-of-the-modern-middle-east">The Cauldron</a> examines the forces, characters and calamities that have shaped the region.<ul><li>Guest: Simon Sebag Montefiore, writer and historian</li><li>Producer: Ali Benton</li></ul>

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore traces 125 years of war, revolution, upheaval and revival in the Middle East. From the final days of the Ottoman Empire to to the current Iran-US conflict, Simon's new book The Cauldron examines the forces, characters and calamities that have shaped the region.Guest: Simon Sebag Montefiore, writer and historianProducer: Ali Benton

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore traces 125 years of war, revolution, upheaval and revival in the Middle East. From the final days of the Ottoman Empire to to the current Iran-US conflict, Simon's new book <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/simon-sebag-montefiore/the-cauldron-the-making-of-the-modern-middle-east" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Cauldron</a> examines the forces, characters and calamities that have shaped the region.<ul><li>Guest: Simon Sebag Montefiore, writer and historian</li><li>Producer: Ali Benton</li></ul>

Simon Sebag Montefiore on the making of the modern Middle East

The Cambridge Five have gone down in history as the most notorious spies of the 20th century. For seventeen years, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Donald Maclean and John Cairncross got away with leaking top-secret British intelligence to the Soviet Union with disastrous consequences. Now a new book, drawing on recently declassified files, debunks some enduring myths about them.<ul><li>Guest: Antonia Senior, author of <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/antonia-senior/stalin-s-apostles-the-cambridge-five-and-the-making-of-the-soviet-empire">Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire </a></li><li>Producer: Julie Street</li></ul>

The Cambridge Five have gone down in history as the most notorious spies of the 20th century. For seventeen years, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Donald Maclean and John Cairncross got away with leaking top-secret British intelligence to the Soviet Union with disastrous consequences. Now a new book, drawing on recently declassified files, debunks some enduring myths about them.Guest: Antonia Senior, author of Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire Producer: Julie Street

The Cambridge Five have gone down in history as the most notorious spies of the 20th century. For seventeen years, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Donald Maclean and John Cairncross got away with leaking top-secret British intelligence to the Soviet Union with disastrous consequences. Now a new book, drawing on recently declassified files,&nbsp;debunks some enduring myths about them.<ul><li>Guest: Antonia Senior, author of <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/antonia-senior/stalin-s-apostles-the-cambridge-five-and-the-making-of-the-soviet-empire" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire&nbsp;</a></li><li>Producer: Julie Street</li></ul>

Unmasking the Cambridge Five spies

After many years working as a reporter overseas, Stan Grant has come home. To a country he believes is still struggling to deal with the legacy of its violent past.

Stan Grant: Griffith to Pakistan and back

Award-winning author, journalist and commentator, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown excels at holding up a mirror to British society, culture and identity.

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown's 'exotic England'

Why Napoleon Bonaparte remains such a fascinating figure - a legacy shared by few military leaders.

Napoleon's legend

This year has delivered wild weather in both environmental and political terms.

The year that was 2016

Claude Monet and the painting of the water lilies

Mad Enchantment

Is economics too important to be left to economists to explain?

The econocracy

Narendra Modi had an audacious plan for smashing India's vast black economy and targeting the corrupt, rich class. So far it just seems to have hurt the poor.

Modi's Great Leap Forward?

It's taken 100 years for the US to get a museum showcasing black American history and culture.

Finally, a Black History Museum

Bruce Shapiro reflects on a momentous year in US politics.

Bruce Shapiro's America

How 'native ads' and content marketing are replacing real news.

Black Ops Advertising

Incisive analysis, fearless debates and nightly surprises. Explore the serious, the strange and the profound with David Marr.

This LNL podcast contains the stories in separate episodes. Subscribe to the full podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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Incisive analysis, fearless debates and nightly surprises. Explore the serious, the strange and the profound with David Marr. This LNL podcast contains the stories in separate episodes. Subscribe to the full podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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