Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

Josef Stalin left this earthly realm on March 5, 1953. The circumstances of his death were deeply chaotic – his guards and inner circle were too afraid to open the door to his room, and he was found days later lying on the floor. Stalin’s ghost however, still haunts modern day Russia – from tea-leaf readers to mediums on the internet, there's no shortage of people trying to contact the Soviet dictator on the other side.GUEST: Sheila Fitzpatrick, Emeritus professor at the Australian Catholic University and Author, The Death of StalinPRODUCER: Ali Benton

It was 1974 and Canberra was in turmoil. A young Paul Kelly was the chief political correspondent for The Australian newspaper, and covered the mounting scandals and intrigues. As we near the 50th anniversary of 11 November, 1975, Paul and David look back at the political environment that led to The Dismissal.Guest: Paul Kelly, Editor-at-Large, The Australian

Love is the big emotion, the one that drives our literature and our lives. It has done since antiquity. But when the Greeks and Romans wrote about love, did they mean the same things we do today? Is love eternal, or has the concept evolved over time?Guest: Marguerite Johnson, Honorary Professor in Classics at The University of QueenslandProducer: Alex Tighe

The new Museum of West African Art will open in Benin City, Nigeria next month. It was hoped that the new galleries would display the world's most comprehensive collection of Benin bronzes - precious fourteenth Century artefacts looted by the British in the late 19th Century. Bronzes are gradually being repatriated from collections around the world - but not into the collection of the new museum. Guest: Philip Oltermann, The Guardian's European Culture EditorProducer: Jack Schmidt

After water, sand is the most-exploited natural resource in the world, but its use is largely ungoverned, meaning we are consuming it faster than it can be replaced by geological processes that take hundreds of thousands of years. Making sand from ore could solve the looming crisis.GUEST: Professor Daniel Franks Director, Global Centre for Mineral Security, University of QueenslandPRODUCER: Ali Benton

Suriname is a small Dutch speaking country in South America. It’s been run by a despot racking up debt and oppressing its citizens. But now they’ve elected their first female President who’s promising fiscal transparency, good governance and sustainable development. Meanwhile the impoverished country has discovered oil off its coast and both China and the US are circling like flies. Guest: Zoe Deceuninck, Editor-in-Chief of Parbode, the only Surinamese magazine in the country Producer: Catherine Zengerer

This week, Australia went to Washington. Our PM, Anthony Albanese, met with Donald Trump in the White House, where Trump signed an agreement about critical minerals and took a dig at Kevin Rudd.Guest: Bruce Shapiro, Contributing Editor for The Nation, and Executive Director of the Global Center for Journalism and TraumaProducer: Alex Tighe

In a compelling discussion, Professor Fiona Stanley, a distinguished epidemiologist and former Australian of the Year, delves into the controversy surrounding cancelled hospital events on children and war. She expresses dismay over the cancellations, emphasizing the need for healthcare professionals to engage with issues affecting children in conflict zones. Fiona highlights the impact of political pressure on hospitals, the importance of these conversations for medical advocacy, and how such discussions can shape responses to humanitarian crises.

Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former New York Times Middle East bureau chief, dives into the controversy surrounding his canceled appearance at the National Press Club. He discusses the Western media's failure in accurately covering the war in Gaza, emphasizing how initial reports can mislead public perception. Hedges critiques Israeli narratives amplified by media and highlights the bravery of Palestinian journalists amid access restrictions. His insights challenge normative views on sponsorship and press freedom in conflict reporting.

Nationals MP and former leader, Barnaby Joyce has announced he won't run for the seat of New England at the next election. Rumours about that he'll join Pauline Hanson's One Nation, but he is keeping mum. So what's he up to? Bernard Keane looks back at his political career.Guest: Bernard Keane, political editor, Crikey