The mineral Cobalt is in almost everything required for the future. Laptops, smartphones, and semiconductors all use this rock, which is mostly pulled out of mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cobalt, along with Lithium is also set to revolutionise the way we live and power our world through solar panels and enormous battery storage, but as much as 30% of the cobalt mined in the DRC is done so by people working under conditions described as modern slavery.

So the question is, now that we know, what do we do about it?

In this episode, we explore what is being done to preserve our world against modern slavery a problem that traps 50 million people around the world. Providing expert insight is Associate Professor Martijn Boersma from the University of Sydney.

Military spending hit an all-time global high of $US2.4 trillion in 2023, with the US, China and Russia at the top of that list.Most of that cash went towards artificial intelligence, automation, big data and drone technology, hi-tech equipment that bring entirely new capacities to the fight — in speed, precision, stealth and surveillance.

However, military enlistments are falling across the globe.Australia is looking at a shortfall of 5,000 troops across its army, navy and air force.In Europe, military recruiters are wondering how to attract more young people, with nearly every country on the continent failing to meet recruitment targets.And in the US, still the most powerful military in the world, enlistment reportedly dropped nearly 60 percent between 1980 and 2020, and most branches of the armed forces are struggling for recruits.“America isn’t ready for the wars of the future,” declared retired US general Mark Milley and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt in a recent article.For Australia, a steadfast security partner to the US, this is far from ideal.2023’s Defence Strategic Review found that Australia had lost its geographic advantage and needed urgently to transform its arsenal for the ‘missile age’.

The main cause of that anxiety is China’s military buildup, which it claims is the largest by any country since World War Two.Enter the robots.

Kids today may be less inclined to fight for their country, but automation and AI are increasingly filling the ranks.

General Milley predicts that in 10 or 15 years, up to a third of the US military could be robotic forces controlled by AI systems.

In this episode, we explore what future wars might look like and who will fight them. Providing expert insight is Adjunct Professor Albert Palazzo from the University of New South Wales.

As the war in Gaza drags into its eleventh month and the death toll rises, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pursuit of ‘total victory’ over Hamas seems increasingly out of reach.

Israel faces growing scrutiny and condemnation for its actions around the globe, yet its most important ally, the United States, continues to offer unwavering support and billions of dollars worth of military equipment.

In this episode, we explore why America remains so committed to Israel. Join us as we unpack the history and implications of this enduring alliance with International Relations scholar Dr. Martin Kear from The University of Sydney.

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Young voters, angered by being left behind economically and politically, are voting for more extreme candidates in an attempt to be heard. What do they want?

Featuring 360info's Emma Hoy and The University of Sydney's Dr David Blunt.

The Real Madrid-bound superstar Kylian Mbappe is one of many footballers at Euro 2024 who have found themselves entwined in a divisive immigration debate that is sitting at the epicentre of elections in France, the United Kingdom and across Europe.

Featuring 360info's Emma Hoy and Associate Professor Ben Wellings from Monash University.

After denying the far-right National Rally the chance to take over parliament, the French people start again, this time with the New Popular Front, a group that some experts fear do not know how to govern together. 

The deadlock that was so unpalatable to many French people remains, and the country sits on the precipice of a very different, extremely unexpected outcome.

An air of inevitability grips France after the first round of parliamentary elections, with the far-right party the National Rally edging closer to controlling parliament. Joining Emma is University of Sydney Associate Professor Jean Bogais who feels the far right's success is down to constant failures at addressing growing social concerns.

In the north, south, east and west, far-right politics are on the rise. Despite failing to win an outright majority, Narendra Modi appears certain to continue his Hindu nationalist agenda as prime minister in India. French President Emmanuel Macron, reeling from an EU election that saw Jordan Bardella’s right-wing National Rally win 30 percent of his country's vote, has dissolved the national parliament and called a new election.

From Delhi to Paris, what are the common denominators when it comes to the rise of the far-right? How are leaders making common cause across borders? What is the difference, if any, between Modi and Bardella’s playbook?

Featuring 360info’s Emma Hoy, South Asia Editor Bharat Bhushan, The University of Virginia's Siva Vaidhyanathan and Monash University's Ben Wellings.

The talk is over, the votes are counted. Narendra Modi’s BJP Party has won the most votes and the most seats in this enormous election, but at what cost?

The BJP has lost its majority in parliament and will now rely on its coalition partners to ensure that it holds onto power. Could this be the end of the road for Narendra Modi as his party looks to regain voters trust?

Featuring 360info’s Emma Hoy, South Asia Editor Bharat Bhushan and Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, a Professor of Political Science at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata.

Wealth appears to be everywhere in India, but each year it seems to be concentrated with fewer and fewer people. In part four of 360info's series on the Indian election, we look at India’s economic miracle, which minted 94 new billionaires in 2023 alone. Is the meteoric rise of the Indian economy all that it seems? And what might stop it from becoming the powerhouse many believe it's destined to be?

From accusations of crony capitalism and wealth inequality to stagnating foreign investment, India's leap to becoming the world’s fifth-largest economy has been paved with difficulties. However, climate change could potentially stand as its biggest obstacle. 

Featuring 360info's Emma Hoy, SOAS University London's Dr Subir Sinha, NYU-Abu Dhabi's Nitin Bharti and 360info’s Piya Srinivasan.