Antonia Murphy recounts how she became the Madam of an escort agency in small town New Zealand. And historian Alexis Peri uncovers ten years of pen pal correspondence between the women of Truman's America and Stalin's Russia. 

What truth is there to the mystical powers of absinthe both in the past and its current form? Is it more myth than magic? Evan Rail investigates. And Santilla Chingaipe tells the stories of the 15 convicts of African descent that came with the first fleet, and the hundreds that followed. How does their story fit in the story of the global slave trade? 

Bruce Shapiro on Trump's Madison Square Garden rally and the final week of the campaign. Also in the US, a mother is suing a chatbot company for deceptive trade practices after her son committed suicide. But who is responsible for the way he interacted with the app? Plus why did our ancestors paint in deep, dark caves with little light?

Stephen Fry reflects on the power of story-telling, how to counter impostor syndrome and the things he absolutely can’t do. 

Journalist and human rights advocate Tawakkol Karman Yemen must have self-determination, free of foreign interference, to achieve true democracy and freedom. Plus why the Snowy hydro scheme continues to fascinate historians, 75 years on. 

Oxford theologian Nigel Biggar reckons with colonialism and the legacy of Empire. And journalist Anupreeta Das examines the life and power of the billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder, Bill Gates. 

Journalist and former resident of Pennsylvania Sarah Smiles Persinger on why her old home town could decide the next President. Plus an update on the campaign from Bruce Shapiro, with two weeks to go. And journalist Antony Loewenstein on how Israel's arms industry profits from continual war. 

Bernard Keane on the Teals latest win, and why Labor is yet to introduce political donation reform. Plus the government has been quietly sending asylum seekers back to Nauru, where the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre says they are reliant on charity to survive. And why has every generation from biblical times obsessed over the apocalypse? 

Gareth Gore, a veteran finance journalist and author probing the Catholic order Opus Dei, reveals its hidden influence in global finance and allegations of human trafficking in Argentina. Alongside bird language expert Andrew Turbill and conservationist Dan Lyons, listeners learn to decode bird communication and its ecological significance. They discuss the role of bird sounds in ecosystem health and community conservation efforts, showcasing the beauty and complexity of avian interactions in nature.

Professor William Partlett uncovers the "constitutional dark arts" that have enabled Russian President Vladimir Putin to consolidate power. Plus, Scottish poet Jenny Lindsay on when debates over gender identity turn toxic.