Is the Middle East caught in an unstoppable 'escalation trap' of all-out war?

Has Israel entered a constitutional crisis? Netanyahu, the courts and a battle over press freedom

Every night in Israel, one TV channel stands out. Channel 13 is among the few major outlets willing to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Now, a dispute over the channel’s ownership has become a flashpoint in a wider battle over press freedom, judicial independence and the future of Israeli democracy.  Anat Saragusti, Director of press freedom at the Union of Journalists in Israel, tells Global Roaming the Channel 13 dispute is just one part of a broader effort to weaken independent journalism. From attempts to reshape media regulators to pressure on public broadcasters and sanctions against the newspaper Haaretz, she argues Israel’s independent media is facing growing political pressure ahead of the country’s next election. Plus, how Israeli citizens are seeing the war in Gaza, the restrictions on journalists, and the escalating tensions between the government, the courts and the media.

Will Indonesia's $44bn new city ever become the capital?

Indonesia's next capital was supposed to showcase the country's future: a purpose-built city in the jungles of Borneo designed to ease pressure on Jakarta and signal Indonesia's ambitions on the world stage. But Nusantara now faces a critical political test. Former president Joko Widodo pushed the project past the point of no return, yet his successor, Prabowo Subianto, appears far less committed. So is Indonesia's new capital actually becoming the capital — or could one of the most ambitious nation-building projects in Asia stall before it's finished? Then, after months of conflict involving Iran, the US and regional powers, Pakistan is finding itself at the centre of major diplomatic negotiations. Asia-Pacific correspondent Amanda Hodge explains how Islamabad has rebuilt its international standing, why Washington is paying attention again, and what Pakistan hopes to gain from its new role as a geopolitical broker.Guest: Amanda Hodge, Asia-Pacific Correspondent for the Australian Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au [Global.Roaming@your.abc.net.au] Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Getting Lucky... Again: Alan Finkel - Fixing the Rocky Road to Net Zero

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this episode, Australia's former Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel shares his thoughts on how Australia can feasibly get to net zero, and harness our potential as a clean energy superpower. Plus, he has a radical new idea to safeguard art against AI... Alan's recommendations: * The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain * Seascraper [https://www.penguin.com.au/books/seascraper-9781405975247] by Benjamin Wood * Prove It: A Scientific Guide for the Post-Truth Era [https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/prove-it] by Elizabeth Finkel  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au [Global.Roaming@your.abc.net.au] Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.  This episode was first broadcast on Friday 2 January 2026

Getting Lucky... Again: Michael Stutchbury's Economic Wake Up Call

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this  instalment, Michael Stutchbury - Former editor-in-chief of the Australian Financial Review and Executive director of the Centre for Independent Studies, says that Australia's economic luck is about to run out. He argues we need break the cycle of high spending and low growth if we want to retain anything like the prosperity we're accustomed to.  Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au [Global.Roaming@your.abc.net.au] Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was first broadcast on Friday 16 January 2026

Getting Lucky... Again: Lydia Khalil - Tackling New Security Threats

In this Global Roaming limited series, Hamish Macdonald and Geraldine Doogue are inviting big thinkers from different fields to consider how Australia can not just survive - but thrive - in a more challenging world.  In this episode the Lowy Institute's Lydia Khalil shatters the perception that our geography alone is enough to protect us from the insidious new security threats that are already making their way to our shores, and she outlines how we can protect ourselves going forward.  Lydia's recommendations: * The Man in the High Castle [https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-Man-in-the-High-Castle/0T1R1MXA75ZCR0C3247CHPIS3X]- TV series on Amazon Prime * For All Mankind [https://tv.apple.com/au/show/for-all-mankind/umc.cmc.6wsi780sz5tdbqcf11k76mkp7] - TV series on Apple TV Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at global.roaming@abc.net.au [Global.Roaming@your.abc.net.au] Find all the episodes of Global Roaming now via the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. This program was first broadcast on Friday 9 January 2026