Saturday Extra - Separate stories podcast
Saturday Extra is an Australian current affairs program that offers smart analysis and lively conversations. Hosted by Nick Bryant, it helps listeners understand Australia and the world. The separate stories podcast presents individual segments from the show, covering a range of topics in depth.
Episodes
Bogong moths swarming despite endangered status
Bogong moths are swarming across south-eastern Australia, finding their way into homes and washing up on beaches, prompting reactions ranging from disgust to delight.The tiny insects fly up to 1000km in an annual migration that was once commonplace but that is now extraordinary.Classified as endangered in 2021, could the bogong moth be making a remarkable comeback?
How China remembers (and forgets) the Cultural Revolution
It's been 50 years since the end of China's Cultural Revolution, a decade of chaos that saw mass violence and political upheaval. But, officially at least, China is not looking back and taking stock.
Rooftop solar innovation wins top design award
A Melbourne-based innovator has won the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards for an invention that distributes solar power fairly throughout apartment buildings.Known as SolShare, the Australian-made technology makes rooftop solar accessible to apartment dwellers, and is being exported globally.
10-billion-year-old radio energy burst offers clues to the universe
Astronomers have detected a mysterious flash of radio energy, called a fast radio burst or FRB, that's been travelling across space for 10 billion years.These flashes only last a millisecond, but they may be vital in better understanding the story of the universe.Plus, if you think dawn on Earth is impressive, a NASA rover has taken a stunning image of dawn up on Mars.
AI data centre operator Firmus pulls huge ASX float
AI data centre operator Firmus has pulled out of what would have been one of Australia's largest public listings.So how did the hype fall so flat?
Former German spy chief arrested on suspicion of treason
Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND, is facing its greatest scandal since the Cold War.Former spy chief August Hanning was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power.He ran the spy agency from 1998 to 2005 and is now being held in detention ahead of an expected court appearance next week.
Newcastle goes crazy in the lead-up to the NRL grand final
This year's NRL grand final will feature the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights.And the story of the Knights is a fairytale in the making. The team finished last in the competition last year. Now they're just one win away from a premiership.As a result, the city of Newcastle is going absolutely ballistic.
Alan Kohler on the economy and his decision to leave the ABC
After a 31-year career as the ABC's finance guru, Alan Kohler announced this week that he's leaving the organisation.He joins Saturday Extra to talk about the latest interest rate hike, the housing market, and how he became one of this country's great economic communicators.
Gabriel Sherman on Donald Trump 2.0 and the media
Few writers in the world have written with more clarity or authority on the intersection of the modern-day media and modern-day politics than Gabriel Sherman. Gabriel Sherman is a special correspondent with Vanity Fair, author of the book Bonfire of the Murdochs, and the screenwriter of the movie, The Apprentice, which tells the story of Donald Trump's rise to fame as a property
Can Lula win again? Brazil's election explained
The first round of voting in Brazil's presidential and parliamentary election starts on Sunday.The main contest is between the 80-year-old incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and his rival Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former leader Jair Bolsonaro.
What the flydubai attack means for the region and the world
This week, a flydubai plane headed to Tel Aviv in Israel came frighteningly close to crashing after the pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot.We assess the latest information around the alleged terror attack and the geopolitical implications for the region.
The Last Thing: Nick Reece
It's AFL grand final day, so we talk to Melbourne's Lord Mayor Nick Reece for this month's instalment of The Last Thing.He shares some of the last great things he's read, watched and visited.
What is Australia's most important book?
While we're all choosing our favourite books as part of Radio National's Top 100 Australian Books, which ones have had a big impact on Australian society and could be considered the most important and impactful?We thought we would ask two very bookish historians.
Korean children's classic hits Australian stage
The Longest Nights is a popular Korean children's book that is being adapted for the stage by The Sydney Opera House and Seoul musical company Ipkoason. The two-year long creative collaboration brings pansori, a traditional storytelling technique featuring drums and voice, to Aussie kids.
Shaun Micallef's latest subject: Matthew Flinders
Comedian, TV host and author Shaun Micallef has combined his trademark humour with historical research to write the story of Matthew Flinders.Matthew Flinders was a British navigator who led the first circumnavigation of the Australian continent and helped popularise the name "Australia."
Global crises dominate the UN General Assembly
This week, 130 heads of government are in New York for the UN General Assembly. And for the first time ever, artificial intelligence has been centre stage. But it's the undiplomatic rhetoric which has made headlines with Donald Trump using his speech to threaten to annihilate Iran. That followed a strong rebuke from Iran's president, marking the first time the leader of a country
Trump and Xi expected to meet again this year
Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington has ended after three days of talks, a state dinner and an extravagant welcome ceremony. In a social media post, President Trump said that the leaders plan to meet twice more before the year’s end.What were the key takeaways from the summit?
Alliance of 800 Indigenous rangers nominated for global environment prize
Australia's Indigenous Desert Alliance has been named a finalist in The Earthshot Prize for their work protecting desert habitat across 270 million hectares.The alliance of 70 Indigenous ranger groups has one of the world's leading cultural burning programs and supports threatened species including the Great Desert skink, bilby and night parrot.The Earthshot Prize was founded by
World leaders head to UN to talk AI, climate and future pandemics
Next week, world leaders will meet at UN Headquarters in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.Leaders like Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Anthony Albanese are set to speak, against a backdrop of an increasingly sidelined and underfunded UN.Topics are likely to range from AI to climate change to conflict in the Middle East to preparing for the next pandemic.
Is Paul Keating's vision of an independent Australia relevant for today?
Paul Keating's ambition was to liberate Australia from our remaining attachments to Britain, achieve reconciliation, and reorient the nation in the Asian region.After unprecedented access to the former prime minister's papers, and a series of interviews, James Curran explores Keating's long-term vision for Australia.
Kevin Rudd calls for urgent intergovernmental regulation of AI
The former prime minister Kevin Rudd has warned that there is an urgent need for intergovernmental regulation of AI.Ahead of next week's meeting in Washington between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, what could a set of guardrails look like, and how would both the US and China be involved?
How a musical became 'the most enduring piece of 9/11 art'
Come from Away is a musical which tells the story of nearly 7,000 airline passengers who were stranded in the small Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland, after the September 11 attacks.This week The New York Times dubbed it "the most enduring piece of 9/11 art."As part of our coverage of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we spoke with the Canadian husband and wife who co-wrote the m
Waleed Aly on the crisis of liberalism
In the latest Quarterly Essay, one of Australia's leading public intellectuals tries to make sense of what's happening through a philosophical prism.In particular, he looks at the crisis of liberalism, a collection of ideas which has shaped politics and society since the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century.
Will AI kill us all within a decade?
This week, an Anthropic researcher resigned over concerns that the technology could kill us all by the end of the decade. As AI developers weighed in supporting his prediction, many are asking if AI power is rapidly slipping out of human hands.Meanwhile in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced a draft digital duty of care bill that would allow social media users t
The Looming Tower: What the lead-up to 9/11 can teach us today
Twenty-five years after the 9/11 attacks, their impact continues to be felt in New York, across America and around the world.To mark the anniversary, we spoke with Lawrence Wright, whose acclaimed book The Looming Tower traces the rise of al-Qaeda and the events that culminated in the attacks.
Why thousands of Australians are watching 'nest-flix'
Get ready, another season of 'nest-flix' is beginning.Melbourne's peregrine falcon camera is back, meaning people can watch a live feed of a peregrine falcon nest, high up in the city's CBD.
Australia looks to return to the United Nations Security Council
There are seats up for grabs at one of the world's most important tables, and Australia is putting up its hand to join.At the United Nations later this month, Anthony Albanese will be spearheading an attempt to join the Security Council for a two-year term that would begin in 2029.The last time Australia was on the council was between 2013 and 2014.
George Megalogenis has some advice for our politicians
When politicians make announcements wearing hi-vis and hard hats they are making a terrible miscalculation about who Australian voters really are, says one of Australia's great journalists George Megalogenis.Three major shocks have redefined the Australian electorate, and yet for decades politics has failed to keep up, with both major parties operating on outdated assumptions.
Can Australia help stop the Pacific drug trade?
At the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Palau this week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced $600 million to combat drug trafficking.The deal promises increased aerial surveillance across the Pacific, improved maritime capability, and additional training and support for police.As crime and HIV spirals out of control in countries like Fiji, will the investment be enou
Alarm in Europe as the Kremlin escalates its campaign
Germany has blamed the Kremlin for attempting a drone attack at Leipzig airport last month targeting a Ukrainian plane.The heads of NATO and the European Commission have warned Russia is growing increasingly reckless and vowed to respond to a dangerous "new normal."
The Last Thing: Jennifer Wong
What's the first sweet thing you remember eating? Comedian Jennifer Wong is a keen observer of Australia's changing tastes, and she's found that starting a conversation with food quickly leads it to surprising and profound places. She joins Nick to share her best last things.
Why are One Nation supporters so unhappy?
The rise of One Nation has been one of the biggest political stories in Australia this year. But who exactly are the people behind the surging polling numbers?This week, a survey of 1,014 One Nation supporters shed some light on the kind of people getting on board with the party.One finding was 91 per cent believed the country is heading in the wrong direction. For all voters, th
Dolly Parton - the best of us
There was sad news this week from Nashville, Tennessee, the home of the undisputed Queen of Country, Dolly Parton. Regular listeners will know that we were big Dolly fans, in fact we tried to get her to come on the show on July 4th, to mark America’s 250th birthday. We did that partly because in the disunited states of America, she was a unifying figure. We’ve been looking back o
How the mako shark inspired a carbon-cutting innovation
An Australian start-up company has been developing a drag-reducing adhesive film for use on aircraft which helps reduce fuel and lower emissions. And it was all inspired by a shark.
Donald Trump's next move on Iran: 'Economic D-Day'
The US has launched a campaign to cripple Iran's economy by cutting off its remaining economic lifelines.The Treasury sanctioned more than 60 entities, including Chinese firms, but fell short of placing more forceful sanctions directly on China.
What happens if the US-Canada trade war keeps escalating?
Washington and Ottawa are locked in a tariff tit-for-tat after trade talks collapsed earlier this week.Hundreds of thousands of jobs are potentially at stake on both sides of the border.
Warnings of new dangers in Nepal and Tibet after flooding
Nepal and Tibet are still reeling from the catastrophic flash floods that hit the Himalaya region earlier this week.The images coming from the disaster have been shocking: Bridges swept away, highways destroyed, entire villages engulfed by torrents of mud and water.As more details of the disaster continue to emerge, we speak with a journalist on the ground there.
Who blew up the Nord Stream gas pipeline?
In 2022, parts of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system, the multibillion-dollar network carrying Russian gas into Europe, were blown up.So who exactly was behind what has been described as "the greatest act of sabotage in modern history?"
The googly-eyed 'stuffed fox' revealed to be a thylacine
When a badly stuffed "fox head" was advertised by a UK auction house, James Cranfield quickly worked out that it was a "priceless" head of a thylacine.The taxidermist and collector won the two-way bidding war for "the find of a lifetime."How important is this specimen of the now-extinct Tasmanian tiger?
Why does the gambling lobby in Australia have so much power?
This week, the federal government's gambling reforms passed parliament, after a bipartisan deal was struck with the Coalition.The package includes restrictions on gambling ads, but in the eyes of some politicians and many campaigners, it doesn't go nearly far enough.So why is it so hard to pass major gambling reform in this country?
After nearly 40 years, a new trial in the Lockerbie bombing
It was Britain's deadliest terror attack: In December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 exploded in the air above Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 passengers on board and 11 on the ground.Almost four decades on, there is fresh evidence and a new trial.Next week, a Libyan man suspected of making and detonating the bomb will face court in Washington DC.
Is the US pivoting away from Asia?
This week, the headlines were dominated by the Trump administration's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, a longtime US ally and a linchpin of America's national security strategy in Asia.The US aircraft carrier USS George Washington has been redeployed to the Middle East, temporarily leaving the Asia-Pacific region without an American carrier strike
Is there a 'social epidemic' of self-censorship?
Growing up in a lower middle class family on the south side of Chicago fundamentally shaped the thinking of Glenn Loury, but his politics cut against the grain of many black Americans."Here I was in the era of Reagan telling black people to pull their socks up," the leading US black conservative intellectual says. He discusses the impact of Obama's presidency, self-censorship, an
Why do we only like politicians when they quit?
This week, former Liberal leader Sussan Ley joined a cast of former politicians who have found a new voice in a life after politics.She's been in the media after spending 6 weeks on a solo trip catching Greyhound buses across the US.It got us thinking here at Saturday Extra, how do we reassess politicians after they say goodbye to politics? And in some cases, do we only find ours
A look inside the world's biggest green bank
Australia's Clean Energy Finance Corporation is the world's biggest green bank.After a decade in the role, CEO Ian Learmonth reflects on Australia's progress to decarbonise the economy and global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Afghanistan marks five years since the return of the Taliban
This week marks five years since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan.Since its return, the Taliban has imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, as it did when it first came to power in the 1990s.For women and girls, whose worlds have become smaller and heavily policed, the anniversary is a grim one.
Test cricket returns to Darwin after 22 years
Next week, Darwin is hosting its first international test cricket match in 22 years.In a city known for cane toad races and a million-dollar barramundi fishing competition, the mood and the event itself are likely to be a little different than other Australian cities.
Richard Pryor's daughter on her father and a 'notorious word'
Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor is the daughter of legendary comedian Richard Pryor, whose stand-up transformed American comedy in the 1970s.In her new memoir, Elizabeth weaves together family memories with historical research to explore the legacy of her father, the history of one of America's most contested words and what it reveals about race, identity and belonging.
Who's winning the battle to reshape the Democratic Party?
In what was billed as a battle over the future of the Democratic Party, progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary this week.He defeated Haley Stevens, a more moderate candidate who had the backing of much of the party establishment.What does this say about the direction of the Democrats and its chances of winning back the White House?
Behind the leadership crisis engulfing FIFA
In recent weeks, FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposed to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to private investors.He's since abandoned the highly controversial idea, but not before triggering a civil war in the footballing world, which may lead to his downfall.Being a FIFA story, it's all about power, influence and of course, money.
Richard Flanagan sees 'goodness in the midst of our apocalypse'
Richard Flanagan has brought out a collection of essays, speeches and columns entitled Heresies.Its topics range from Manus Island to the Black Summer bushfires to the growing corrosion of democracy.Flanagan, the only writer on the planet who has won both the Booker Prize for fiction and the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction, joins us for an extended discussion.
Noni Hazlehurst on her one-woman play The Lark
Aussie kids is touring the country with a one-woman theatre production.Noni Hazlehurst plays publican Rose Grey in The Lark, a show about an inner city Melbourne pub facing demolition as gentrification marches on without her.
How will AI affect the Australian political landscape?
While there is a lot of attention being paid to the economic and technological change that AI is bringing, a new report argues that AI may also become a major force in reshaping Australian politics. If the effect of AI falls most heavily on educated professionals in "digitally intensive" neighbourhoods, what will be the political fallout?
Breakthough in Gaza peace deal
A key step in President Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan appears to have been reached.Hamas has agreed to a plan with international mediators to lay down its heavy weapons on condition that Israeli forces fully withdraw from the Gaza territory.Can this complicated agreement work and offer a new path forward?
From looming cyber threats to the secret world of Pine Gap
Cyber attacks against Australian public and private entities seem to be happening more frequently, and with more sophistication.So how prepared are we for a large attack and should we doing more to stop this from happening?Plus, we look at Pine Gap, the secretive facility near Alice Springs.
Why Nauru changed its name to Naoero
This week, Nauru officially changed its name to Naoero, in order to more faithfully honour the country's language and identity.The move reflects a long desire for decolonisation and self-determination in the Pacific, but how much is in a name?
As the climate worsens, media coverage is falling
Last year was Earth's third warmest year on record, with fires sweeping through parts of in Los Angeles, a heatwave killed more than 24,000 in Europe and catastrophic flooding in Southeast Asia.But despite this, media coverage of climate change continues to drop.A new study found coverage of the topic decreased by 14 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024.Is it possible for the trend
Wildfires devastate countries across Europe
This week, hundreds of thousands of people in France and Spain were forced to leave their homes and holiday accommodation in one of the largest peacetime evacuation operations in modern European history.Meanwhile, Greece, Italy and parts of Central Europe are expected to face heightened wildfire risk in the coming weeks. In France, the worst affected area has been the Gironde, ne
The Last Thing: Sarah Ferguson
Sarah Ferguson is the host of ABC TV's flagship news and current affairs program 7.30 (and has one of the most impressive CVs in Australian journalism).She joins Saturday Extra for The Last Thing, where she talks through her last great read, the last great TV show she watched, and the last great art exhibition she attended.
US news site Politico comes to Australia
US news site Politico is set to launch its Australian offering next month — a newsletter called Canberra Playbook.Its launch editor is Ryan Heath, an Australian journalist who spent many years in the US and who also helped launch Politico's Playbook in Brussels.
Was Barnaby right to reprimand Stella the dog?
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce went viral this week when he yelled at his dog mid-interview. Was he right to aggressively reprimand the animal?
Behind the push for an Australian National Spy Museum
The history and current workings of Australia's spies are a little opaque to us everyday people.But a group of Australians, most of whom come from within the intelligence community, is hoping to change that.The group is proposing that Australia build a National Spy Museum in Canberra, which will look at Australia's espionage efforts and pay tribute to its spooks, past and present
Donald Trump's messy nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
While the Trump administration continues to confront Iran over its nuclear ambitions, it's also struck a landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. The agreement will give the kingdom access to US civilian nuclear technology which could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium.But there's a catch. Donald Trump has added a potentially deal-ending stipulation, Saudi Arabia must normalise
How the world has weathered the fallout from the Iran war
This week, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched strikes on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers, immediately leading to yet another spike in oil prices.The Strait of Hormuz, which has become a choke-point for a crucial supply chain, continues to be severely disrupted. But so far, the world economy has avoided a meltdown, a global recession or even depression, despite dire predict
Is this the golden age of Australian horror films?
Horror films are enjoying huge success at the box office and many 'prestige' offerings from the genre are earning critical acclaim, even Oscars.And Australia is playing a big part in this trend. Over recent years, several Australian horror films have performed very well both locally and internationally.So are we in a golden age of Australian horror films?
Has the FIFA World Cup been a success or a failure?
After a month of footballing excellence at the FIFA World Cup, 48 teams have been whittled down to just two.The tournament has been very eventful, from a Trumpian intervention, debates over the pros and cons of the VAR system and hydration breaks, and the unexpected success of a tiny island nation.We take a look back at the past month and preview the final between Spain and Argen
Researchers turn to AI companions to combat loneliness
In a project that goes to the heart of how our human relationship with machines is being completely overhauled, researchers at the University of New South Wales are developing an AI companion to address loneliness.The companion is being developed with Chinese students as well as the elderly — two groups that are very susceptible to loneliness. It may sound a bit dystopic, but tri
Were there warning signs before the Christchurch terror attack?
March 15, 2019 was one of New Zealand's darkest days.We now know that the Australian terrorist who shot dead 51 people during Friday prayers at two Christchurch mosques had meticulously planned his attack.But New Zealand's royal commission into the attack which reported in December 2020 concluded "there was no plausible way" he could have been detected in advance "except by chanc
The bumpy road to the US midterms
Republicans in the US are mourning the loss of one of the party's most influential figures and powerbrokers — Senator Lindsey Graham — who died suddenly last weekend at the age of 71.News of his passing seemed to prompt another GOP grandee Mitch McConnell to issue a proof of life photograph, where he was seen smiling alongside his wife. But there are lingering doubts about the 84
Andy Burnham wins the Labour leadership contest
Andy Burnham will become Britain's seventh prime minister in 10 years next week after winning a Labour leadership contest.Facing economic headwinds, he is promising to ease cost of living pressures by devolving power from London, reversing the privatisation of public utilities and with an ambitious council house building project.
Tango: 'It's not a dance, it's an emotion'
The annual Sydney Tango Weekend brings together dancers from across the country and around the world.They've bonded over the intimate intensity of the dance to form a community that lasts long after the music stops.
Trends in global population
8.3 billion and counting - that's the UN's best estimate on how many people live on the planet when it marks World Population Day this Saturday. But while the Earth's population is growing quickly, the growth rate is starting to slow down. What are the implications ?
Erling Haarland brings Viking vibes to the Wold Cup
The Norwegian striker Erling Haarland is in the running for the Golden Boot, the trophy awarded to the World Cup's top goalscorer. But it's not just Haarland's goalscoring that has excited fans.With his super-hero physique, flowing platinum blond hair, speed and size, the comparisons to a Viking warrior or Norse god are inevitable.Mímir Kristjánsson tells us more about Haarland's
Poetic justice: fairness in the World Cup
The big story at the World Cup this week came off the field rather than on it, with Donald Trump's intervention on behalf of a star US striker who'd been banned from playing against Belgium after receiving a red card in the previous game.The US president called the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, and the player in question, Folarin Balogun, was allowed to play, essentially ripp
European populists making fresh bids for power
Two giant figures of Europe's populist right have announced a reset of sorts. France's Marine le Pen and the UK's Nigel Farage have both mounted fresh bids for power even as financial scandals threaten to derail their political futures. Their renewed push underscores the enduring appeal and persistent controversy of Europe's nationalist movements.
New Zealand to consider joining Australia and Fiji in defence alliance
When China launched a ballistic missile into the South Pacific Ocean on Monday, it was a rare test of a nuclear-capable weapons system that drew international rebuke.New Zealand will now consider joining a new defence alliance between Australia and Fiji which commits each country to come to the other's aid if either is attacked, as Australia works to counter China's growing inf
NATO Summit: rare outbreak of unity
NATO leaders wrapped up their summit this week with a joint declaration affirming a unified stance on several issues, including support for Ukraine to make Patriot air defence systems to counter missile attacks from Russia.The surprisingly amicable conclusion followed a more turbulent start.The summit ended with Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan presenting a firearm to the le
America at 250: America celebrates and reflects on July 4
For the finale of our America at 250 series, we look at how America is marking July 4.We criss-cross the country, from Donald Trump's Great American State Fair to the town of Normal in Illinois to an attempt at getting Dolly Parton on the show
A visit to the National Indigenous Art Fair
On the eve of NAIDOC Week, the National Indigenous Art Fair is up and running at the Cutaway in Sydney's Barangaroo.Now in its 7th year, the event is bringing together over 100 artists from more than 30 art centres.
Why are Australians abandoning Asian languages?
Australians' lack of understanding of our own region is making the country increasingly vulnerable in a volatile security environment, according to the findings of a parliamentary inquiry released this week.The Federal Inquiry into Building Australia's Asia Capability found that fewer students are learning Asian languages at all levels of our education system, and there is less a
