109 episodes

The world is on fire. There's a coup. A former president is being indicted. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes.

If You're Listening ABC News

    • News
    • 4.6 • 167 Ratings

The world is on fire. There's a coup. A former president is being indicted. Inflation is through the roof, and AI is taking our jobs. What does it all mean? Each week, Matt Bevan explains the biggest story in world news while hiding in his basement from assassins and authoritarian regimes.

    Looking for Modi 07 | One billion voters

    Looking for Modi 07 | One billion voters

    Narenda Modi loves to promote India's status as the largest democracy in the world, and experts agree that the country's elections are free and fair for all. Modi is now an unbackable favourite to win a third term as Prime Minister in the weeks ahead, with polls suggesting he is heading for another  victory. So why is he so sensitive to criticism, and aggressive in pursuing his detractors? In this final episode, Avani learns of the consequences of her own reporting on Modi after so many months searching for the truth.

    • 30 min
    Iran, Israel and the calculus of revenge

    Iran, Israel and the calculus of revenge

    Iran and Israel are caught in a cycle of revenge.

    On April Fools' Day, there was a huge escalation in the conflict when an Israeli air strike killed 16 people, including two Iranian Generals.

    Two weeks later, the skies over Israel lit up with a counterattack.

    It might seem like in this conflict, anything goes, but each response and retaliation is a calculated move.

    Israel knew the attack was coming and almost every drone and missile was intercepted.

    So, when the game of chess begins, how does it end?

    Last time the revenge cycle started to turn, Donald Trump was in the White House, and the wheel only stopped because of a tragic mistake.

    This time, Israel's response could change the trajectory of the conflict in the Middle East.

    Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.

    Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_dbh10orQc

    • 15 min
    Looking for Modi 06 | Modi and the money

    Looking for Modi 06 | Modi and the money

    Lifting Indians out of poverty lies at the core of Narendra Modi's wildly popular political strategy. And it's worked: during his Prime Ministership, India has risen from the tenth largest economy in the world to the fifth. But this rising tide has also widened the gap between the rich and the poor in India, and has raised questions about Modi's ties to business leaders who have turned the nation's rise to their own advantage.

    • 33 min
    Why do people hate wind farms? — Live

    Why do people hate wind farms? — Live

    People don't like wind farms. They say they're bad for wildlife, they affect property values and they create pollution.

    But are any of these claims true?

    Today, the wind farm debate and how it nearly tore the small Australian community of King Island apart.

    This episode of If You're Listening is a live recording from the Newcastle Writers Festival.

    Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.

    Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ-9hfWk8TI

    • 20 min
    Looking for Modi 05 | The riots

    Looking for Modi 05 | The riots

    In 2002, Narendra Modi's carefully crafted political story was rocked by a series of deadly attacks in his home state of Gujarat, where he was the highly popular Chief Minister. Thousands were killed in a wave of riots that lasted for three days and became a major national scandal.

    Modi's role in the violence has been heavily contested in the decades since, but he has never been able to shake the association in the minds of some Indians. How did he manage to survive such a high-profile catastrophe, and what is the legacy of those terrifying riots today?

    • 33 min
    Duterte vs Marcos: The feud that might tear the Philippines apart

    Duterte vs Marcos: The feud that might tear the Philippines apart

    The Duterte and Marcos families are the Montagues and Capulets of the Philippines.

    They are, depending on who you ask, the country's most famous statesmen, thieves, murderers or heroes.

    They have tussled for power for nearly 60 years, and now there are talks of secession splitting the country in two.

    Could this family feud literally tear the Philippines apart?

    Want to watch Matt present If You're Listening live from the Newcastle Writers Festival this Sunday, April 7? A stream will be posted to this channel on YouTube

    Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.

    Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pPcV54kiQ

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
167 Ratings

167 Ratings

Geoff MV ,

A great time to review past episodes

If you're struggling to work out how the world got to the mess in Ukraine : go and listen to Russia if you're listening. It is quickly apparent that it was inevitable.
Great Journalism. Listen to all series.

Annieisokaymmkay ,

Borderline anti-west rhetoric can be annoying

well produced and entertaining enough to continue subscribing…for now

not liar truth teller ,

I need to Invade Ukrain

I’m tired

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