If You're Listening

ABC News
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If You're Listening

The world is on fire. There's a coup. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes. Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs. The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change. There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.

  1. 3 HR AGO

    Could Russia turn off the whole internet?

    A Chinese-owned cargo ship called the Yi Peng 3 is sitting idle in Danish waters, after undersea internet cables were cut in the Baltic Sea. European officials have cried sabotage.  It’s not the first time something like this has happened; similar events have seen cables cut in other parts of the ocean. There’s serious concern that China and Russia are planning more of these attacks, and the way the internet is set up, it wouldn’t take many of them to cause serious problems.  So how vulnerable is the internet to undersea sabotage? And if a big global conflict were to break out, would the cables be the first casualty? Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=QgMQOudReqZkahlU

    22 min
  2. America's Last Election 6: How Trump’s banishment led to his comeback

    20 NOV

    America's Last Election 6: How Trump’s banishment led to his comeback

    After January 6, many who had stuck by Donald Trump through his presidency condemned his denial of the election, and his failure to stop the attack on the Capitol.  Banished to Mar-a-Lago the former president was banned from major social media platforms, driving his messages and MAGA community underground, into a parallel online world.  That response by big tech to the violence of January 6 was designed to stop it happening again.  Instead, it found Donald Trump powerful allies, and fostered his comeback, one that would send him all the way back to the White House.  This is the final episode of America's Last Election. We'll be back next week with an episode about something completely different. If you liked the series, please share it around.  Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    24 min
  3. America’s Last Election 5: Trump demands loyalty

    13 NOV

    America’s Last Election 5: Trump demands loyalty

    Over the last four episodes we’ve told the story of Donald Trump’s denial of the 2020 election result. It’s a period of time many thought would disqualify him from another run for US president.  Now, exactly four years later Trump is preparing to head back to the White House after a significant election win against Kamala Harris, and the way his last presidency ended has shaped his campaign.  January 6th and the events that led up to it alienated many moderate actors in Trump’s orbit, and unless they’re brought back into the fold, this presidency is set to look very different to his last. Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    23 min
  4. Hello America: Chess at the White House

    8 NOV

    Hello America: Chess at the White House

    It’s Matt Bevan’s last 24 hours in Washington DC, and he’s leaving a very different place to the one he arrived in. Donald Trump is going to be president again, and in the United States, people from across the political spectrum are figuring out exactly what that looks like.  Matt sits down with ABC Global Affairs Reporter John Lyons in sunny Lafayette Park to chat about the potential geopolitical impacts of a second Trump term and how world leaders are already scrambling to get Trump on the phone to strike a deal.   This episode was produced by Kara Jensen-Mackinnon and Jess O'Callaghan.  This is the final Hello America bonus episode of If You’re Listening, thanks for coming along for the ride. The next episode of America’s Last Election will drop next Thursday morning.   Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    26 min
  5. US Results: Coffee with extra Trump

    6 NOV

    US Results: Coffee with extra Trump

    In this update from Washington DC, Matt Bevan is filling in as host for ABC News Daily to bring you an early morning update on all the events from overnight Australian time.  In a spectacular victory, Donald Trump has secured the US election to become the 47th President of the United States.  Matt is joined on the ground by Emma Shortis from The Australia Institute to explain where the Democrats went wrong and the Republicans went right - and what a more emboldened Trump with the support of the House, the Senate and the Supreme Court means for America.

    15 min
  6. Hello America: Trump’s path back to the presidency

    6 NOV

    Hello America: Trump’s path back to the presidency

    As the night goes on, and key states in the US presidential election are called for Donald Trump, it's becoming harder to see a way that Kamala Harris wins the White House. Matt Bevan shares his view from a Washington rooftop on election night, where ABC News is covering the results. He reflects on the Harris and Trump campaigns, and what a second Trump presidency could look like.  Matt will be back in this podcast feed on Thursday morning hosting a special episode of ABC News Daily, speaking with Dr Emma Shortis from the Australia Institute.  Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    19 min
  7. Hello America: Queuing for Kamala Harris

    5 NOV

    Hello America: Queuing for Kamala Harris

    It's election day in America! But in the dying hours of Monday night (and the campaigns), Matt Bevan took a train to Pennsylvania to stand in queue for a massive Lady Gaga concert — Kamala Harris's final event before election day. Luckily, you can get the speeches online. What you can't get is the vibe, which was apparent speaking to supporters in this kilometres-long queue.  On the train ride home Matt and Dr Emma Shortis from The Australia Institute decide the Democrats' election-eve vibe was: things seem good for Kamala Harris ... nobody jinx it. We'll be back on Wednesday evening with an election-night update. Read Matt on ABC News: When do polls close and when will we know the result of the US election? Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    26 min
  8. Hello America: Two trains and seven swing states

    5 NOV

    Hello America: Two trains and seven swing states

    It's election eve in America, and Matt Bevan is in Washington DC. How did he get there? By train, from Detroit, where he took in the fall foliage from the comfort of his tiny bunk bed, and talked politics over breakfast with a fellow train-devotee named Bill.  But neither Kamala Harris or Donald Trump is taking the slow train to election day -- both campaigns have whirlwind 24 hours planned, hitting the swing states key to winning the White House. Donald Trump is ending years of campaigning with a late-night rally that looks to soothe his superstitious mind, and Kamala Harris is throwing a massive garden party in Philadelphia. Speaking of which, Matt has another train to catch ...  This episode was produced by Kara Jensen Mackinnon and Jess O'Callaghan. Catch Matt across the ABC's election coverage on ABC TV, ABC NewsRadio and digital platforms, including this one; we'll drop a bonus episode when results start to shape up on Wednesday evening AEDT. Follow If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app. Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GOA7NxYvYKg?si=8U9OnBgsFBIjqRlA

    16 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

The world is on fire. There's a coup. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes. Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs. The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change. There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.

Information

  • Channel
    ABC News
  • Creator
    ABC listen
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2024
  • Episodes
    176
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    If You're Listening

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