Saturday Extra - Full program podcast

Over the past year, the US has seen political assassination attempts and murders - the latest being Charlie Kirk, a leading, young conservative activist. Nick Bryant delves into the history of American political violence with historian Jeremi Suri from University of Texas at Austin. Also, filmmaker Max Uechtritz's new documentary PNG The Road to Independence screens on ABC TV this week, he joins PNG lawyer Serena Sasingian to discuss independence. And 25 years on from the Sydney Olympics, we take a walk down memory lane.

Harvard historian Rana Mitter, on China’s war experience and the parade in Beijing this week. One of America’s most seasoned diplomats, Nicholas Burns gives his perspective on the parade and President Trump's order to rebrand the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Big picture thinking to tackle the problem of invasive species in Australia with Jack Gough, from the Invasive Species Council.  And Transylvania in a tutu - Joel Burke the director and choreographer of Dracula the ballet.

Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.

Hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin gives a fascinating insight into his conversations with Hamas negotiators as a UN-backed group declares famine in part of Gaza, and Israel prepares to send troops to occupy Gaza City. 

Plus, Allegra Spender and Innes Willox on what we should take away from this week's Economic Reform roundtable, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller helps us make sense of what's happening with a Russia-Ukraine peace deal after a series of high-level talks, and Australia’s first female astronaut talks about what it's like to smash the galactic glass ceiling (and gives some tips for future young astronauts out there).  

Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.

Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.

Analysis of President Trump’s move impose worldwide tariffs; calls for the Federal Government to to scrap the "Job ready" university fee system, with the barrister and former broadcaster Steve Vizard; and the BBC's International Editor Jeremy Bowen on the latest in the Middle East.

Two of America's top journalists break down one of the most fateful decisions in American political history: Joe Biden’s run for re-election despite evidence of his serious decline. Plus, week one of the 48th parliament and a former French spy who turned his secret life into bestselling spy thrillers.

Michael Fullilove joins Saturday Extra from the Aspen Security Forum which for decades has been a bipartisan event. Also on the show: Profound shifts in migration polices as Germany and EU allies meet to discuss migration crackdowns and repatriations of asylum seekers; Donald Trump is due back in Scotland later this month for a private visit to his golf course on the east coast, but while the US President appears fond of his ancestral home, the feeling is not always reciprocated; New research promises to turn sea urchin shells into fabric dye, potentially solving an environmental problem; And meet two new politicians heading to Canberra next week for Australia’s 48th parliament.

Plus, we get an update on the Texas flood recovery, find out what we can expect from the Prime Minister's visit to China and ask whether the future of Australian philanthropy lies with our tech entrepreneurs.