

Saturday Extra - Full program podcast
ABC
Smart analysis, lively conversations, and great company. Understand Australia and the world with Nick Bryant.
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Nov 14, 2025 • 1h 20min
Trump faces rare pressure from MAGA base over Epstein files
On the show: The BBC apology to Trump over Panorama edit with former head of BBC executive Roger Mosey; Tara Setmayer, former GOP communications director on calls to release all Epstein files as President Trump faces rare pressure from the MAGA base; at 90 years of age, the UK architect Lord Norman Foster reflects on his childhood and designs that have led him to world acclaim;, the history of grandparenting in Australia with demographer DR Liz Allen and how to make unis more relevant for students and the public with leading academic Sophie Gee.

Nov 7, 2025 • 1h 17min
COP30 Climate Talks in Brazil
After another year of record heat and extreme weather, Nicholas Rowley unpacks what the UN climate talks might achieve. Annabel Crabb on her new ABC TV series Civic Duty; Michelle Grattan takes us back 50 years to the drama of the political crisis of the dismissal. An update on Australia's high speed rail plans between Newcastle and Sydney with rail expert Buddhima Indraratna; the politics of New York City and the victory of Zohran Mamdani with NYMag columnist Ross Barkan and Sophia Rosenfeld discusses her new book, The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life

Oct 31, 2025 • 1h 15min
The exile and punishment of Prince Andrew over Epstein ties
On the show: Journalist Emily Maitlis on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's ties to the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. Zohran Mamdani's blistering campaign to become the next mayor New York with Katy Honan, from The City newsroomThe trade truce between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The US president described it as amazing. The story of Australia, as told by one of the country's most eminent historians, Mark McKennaLaetitia Bader from Human Rights Watch on evidence of systematic killings in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher. And the winning skills of food writer Caroline Velik at the World Porridge Making Championship in Scotland.

Oct 24, 2025 • 1h 15min
Donald Trump heads to Asia
Donald Trump is about to embark on a week-long trip through Asia to attend ASEAN and APEC. He'll meet the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and there's also an anticipated meeting between the US President and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Unpack what's ahead with Demetri Sevastopulo, the US-China Correspondent for The Financial Times and Susannah Patton from the Lowy Institute. History’s most audacious art heists with art historian Pamela James. Arctic expert Elizabeth Buchanan explains why Greenland is much more than a desolate blob at the top of a world map in her new book, So you want to own Greenland? Signs of populism and discontent in Australian democracy with two former state premiers Mike Baird and Jay Weatherill. And India's biggest pop star and fashion icon, Diljit Dosanjh, is touring Australia and has local fans desperate for tickets - find out more from fan and musician, L-Fresh the Lion.

Oct 17, 2025 • 1h 15min
What’s at stake in the Albanese Trump meeting?
One the show: The significant week in Middle East politics with the BBC's Tom Bateman who was part White House press corps travelling on Air Force One to Israel. Foreign affairs journalist, Elise Labott also unpacks the week including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to discuss whether the US will arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also heads to Washington, what gift should he take along? Paul Brummel, the author of Diplomatic Gifts: A History in Fifty Presents has some gift giving stories and tips. Kate Mulvany on the new Sydney Theatre Company production of the Australian classic, The Shiralee. And Griffin Dunne on coming of age in Hollywood and the many twisting branches of a Hollywood family tree.

Oct 10, 2025 • 1h 15min
After the peace plan, what will the future of Palestine and Israel look like?
On the show: Palestinian aid worker in Gaza City, Hanya Al Jamal, and Israeli journalist, Amir Tibon, on public reactions to the ceasefire. Ghaith Al-Omari, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, analyses what the future of Palestine will look like now the war has ended. We also look at the Gen Z protests sweeping the globe from Indonesia to Morocco, calling out inequality and corruption. Plus, who are Australia’s Gen Z political influencers, and what are they saying about the movements that are coalescing around them? The complications blowing out the new Snowy River Hydro scheme and botanist Professor Stephen Hopper on the ancient stories embedded in Australia's iconic Eucalyptus trees.

Oct 3, 2025 • 1h 15min
Hamas agrees to release Gaza hostages and Trump tells Israel to stop bombing
On the show: Palestinian analyst Khalil Sayegh on Hamas announcement that it has accepted some elements of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza, but that it will seek negotiations over other terms. Hope for the families of Israeli hostages and for peace in the region with Efrat Machikawa, whose uncle was held hostage in Gaza. A new documentary celebrates the much loved restaurant M on the Bund in Shanghai, run by Australian restaurateur Michelle Garnaut. Might President Trump win a Nobel Peace prize? Can democracy survive AI with Peter Lewis and Lizzie O'Shea. And the death of leggings! Fashion writer Gynis Traill-Nash tries to make sense why leggings are out and baggy work-out gear is in.

Sep 26, 2025 • 1h 15min
Mass UN walkout during speech by Benjamin Netanyahu
James Lindsay from the Council on Foreign Relations and the ABC's Laura Tingle wrap up the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Virginia Hausegger's history of feminist activism in Australia. Accounting academics dispute the extent of financial crisis at the University of Technology Sydney, Jennifer Byrne shares some of her favourite books for the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century and budgie smugglers are back in fashion in Europe.

Sep 19, 2025 • 1h 15min
Expectations of Albanese-Trump meeting
Anthony Albanese is about to embark on a trip to the United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates. After a series of diplomatic disappointments in the Pacific, Arthur Sinodinos discusses how important a meeting with Donald Trump will be. Jon Sopel from the News Agents podcast catches up with Nick to talk UK and US politics. Amanda Cahill explores how regional Australia is working to meet climate targets. Richard Gowan previews the UN leaders week and we have a sing-along with Tricia Paoluccio, who plays Dolly Parton in "Here you come again", a musical about a Dolly Parton super fan.

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 16min
Is America trapped in cycle of political violece?
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.


