
If You're Listening
274 episodes — Page 4 of 6
How US YouTubers were paid to spread Putin’s propaganda
This month, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment of two Russian state media employees. It alleges that they were funnelling millions of dollars into the pockets of American YouTubers, known for their contrarian viewpoints and controversial takes on the war in Ukraine. The YouTubers say they are victims of a criminal scheme and did not know they were being paid by Russia. But it’s not the first time that something like this has happened. There’s a long history of foreign adversaries covertly paying Americans to spread fake news to other Americans—it’s a move right out of Nazi Germany’s propaganda playbook.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6XNK55tc3x8?si=LfMKtmTckpSzSGHO
The sci-fi Saudi city that might be a scam
The massive infrastructure project NEOM sits in the Saudi Arabian desert, and the jewel in its crown is The Line, a futuristic city which looks insane. The AI-generated ads depict a car-free city, for 9 million people, housed between two mirrors. Despite promises of millions of residents by 2030, the project has been scaled back by 98 per cent. The Line will be more like a dot. So what the hell happened? And was it all just a scam?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SQdCl-cX-cU?si=AEQhcHtoBQXz2tSn
How Ukraine called Putin’s nuclear bluff
Russia defends its enormous borders with the threat of nuclear war. It’s this threat that has long stopped Ukraine and its allies from attacking Russia on its home turf—there are ‘red lines’ that can’t be crossed without nuclear retaliation. Yet Ukraine just invaded Russian sovereign territory and still, no nukes. Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to be calling Vladimir Putin’s bluff. It seems the ‘red lines’ were done in red pencil, not red pen. So how does this reshape the war, and what does it mean for Putin?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j08l1rGSdK4?si=6fW29sO97EPL991u
Why Hezbollah is attacking Israel in the Golan Heights
It’s a dangerous moment for the Middle East. Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire over the weekend, including attacks on a pretty unique pocket of farmland — an Israeli-annexed area called the Golan Heights. In 2019 then-President Donald Trump broke with the rest of the international community and recognised it as part of Israel. There’s even an Israeli settlement named after him. Now, the world is watching the Golan Heights closely, fearful that fighting there could escalate and become a massive regional conflict.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ChypAR3VoTs?si=xqd83_k1xcRgCRFd
Could calling Trump 'weird' lead the Democrats to victory?
A shift is on display at the Democratic National Convention—from fear of Donald Trump to mocking him. After years of arguing Trump is dangerous, the Democratic pick for Vice President Tim Walz is changing the party’s attack strategy, calling their opponents 'weird'. This potential path to victory is not seen as very presidential. But could it work?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GnsBdPelMus?si=5x6EbHdto2MTIbo-
How Israel changed the way it assassinates enemies
In the early hours of July 31 this year, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran. It's presumed Israel was behind the killing, with reports detailing a complex operation by its spy agency Mossad. So if it was Israel that did this, why did they do it in such an extraordinary manner, and in Iran of all places? The answer tells us a lot about the complex political situation Israel finds itself in, where it feels the need for revenge, but only in a way that doesn’t alienate its allies.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GnsBdPelMus?si=8o31L61GJ54rqwMS
The truth about Kamala Harris’s time as ‘border czar’
Since Kamala Harris became his opponent in the race for US president, Donald Trump has argued that she is responsible for a migrant crisis. He says President Joe Biden named her the ‘border czar’, in charge of dealing with the unprecedented number of people attempting to cross the US-Mexico border. It’s a policy area that the Trump campaign hopes will win him the election in November. So what’s real, and what’s fake, when it comes to Kamala Harris and the US border?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/stoydTTN4Ko?si=Odsb3GqhrMLxaJs4
How Kamala went from unelectable to unopposed
Kamala Harris is the Democratic party’s presumptive nominee for President of the United States. But four years ago, she didn’t even make it to the first primary vote. They needed to pick someone who would beat Donald Trump, and Harris just wasn’t ‘electable’ enough. Whatever that means. So if she wasn’t electable then, is she electable now? Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zaDnCZHrE_g?si=Gb5TMhlaP5VNSnw2
Will Biden leaving send the Democrats into chaos?
After weeks of speculation and acrimony, President Joe Biden has abandoned his bid for re-election, and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to be his successor.This scenario has happened once before - late in the election cycle, a President bailed out and tried to hand over power to their Vice President. The subsequent chaos at the 1968 Democratic convention is legendary, and is something the party will be desperate to avoid in 2024.
How America was primed for Trump shooting conspiracies
When 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at former-President Donald Trump on July 13, the American public was ready with conspiracy theories explaining how and why he did it. And that shouldn’t come as a shock. Most Americans think President John F Kennedy was assassinated as part of a conspiracy, either by the US Government, Cubans, or the Mafia. They’re primed to believe their government is keeping secrets from them—because it is. Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/N2kVorMQgQA?si=dSyQHCC1idJJnHoy

Who Broke Britain: What took Labour so long?
Last week, the UK Labour Party won the general election in a landslide victory.In the past four episodes we've detailed the chaos, ineptitude and hubris of the Conservative Party during their time in office.So you might be thinking, what took the Labour Party so long to get elected?On the final episode of our Who Broke Britain series, how Labour went to war with itself — over policy, factions, personalities, Brexit, and anti-Semitism.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IpFHEvMWZM&list=PLDTPrMoGHssAfgMMS3L5LpLNFMNp1U_Nq

Who Broke Britain 4: Stop the boats
The UK election is being held today and polls indicate the Conservative Party will lose in a landslide.One of the key policies the government is running on is a version of Australia's offshore immigration detention policy, which was launched by prime minister John Howard in the lead-up to the 2001 election.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's two year fight over this policy has not only been a colossal failure, it will likely drag the Tories down with it.So as the UK decides on their next Prime Minister, we're asking, who really broke Britain?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRNiyPh4__E

Who Broke Britain 3: The NHS in crisis
Britain's National Health Service was in crisis when COVID arrived in the UK.After years of increasing demand and flatlining funding, the NHS was deeply broken.One Chancellor called the NHS "the closest thing the English people have to a religion", so how was it left to fall into disrepair, on the edge of collapse, right as a catastrophic pandemic hit?This is part 3 of our series, Who Broke Britain.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our Who Broke Britain series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vobIKYrfZwg

Who Broke Britain 2: The Brexit gamble
British Prime Minister David Cameron took a colossal gamble when he called for a referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union.Instead, he brought about Brexit and sent the country into three years of chaos.Cameron was certain his side — Remain — would win. How did he get it so wrong?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Watch Who broke Britain, part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW2NSrzcrIQCheck out our entire series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDTPrMoGHssAfgMMS3L5LpLNFMNp1U_Nq

Who Broke Britain 1 A promise to cut everything
When the UK Conservative Party won the election in 2010, they took a butcher's knife to the budget.David Cameron's money-man George Osborne — the young heir to a wallpaper fortune — had a big plan called "austerity," but it put the country on a journey to total chaos.This is the first episode in a four-part series called Who Broke Britain.It's about the past 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, all the way up to the general election that's happening next month.London was once the largest city on Earth — capital of a global empire larger than any other in the history of the world.Even as recently as 17 years ago, Britons were the richest people in any of the world's large economies.Since then, they've gone backwards, more than any other large economy.Britain feels broken. So, who broke it?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3IhkTK9-xs

Not Stupid: Trump's guilty. What does that mean?
We're still on a break from our regularly scheduled programming but don't worry, we're hard at work.Next week we'll be launching a four-part series leading up to the UK election called Who Broke Britain?The country that was once the centre of the world's greatest empire now seems a lot smaller, and in many ways — broken.So — who broke it?Until then, check out the latest ABC podcast Not Stupid, from our colleagues in ABC News.It's hosted by Jeremy Fernandez and Julia Baird, and this week they're diving into Trump's guilty conviction and whether we should raise the minimum age for social media.You can subscribe to it on the Listen app.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM7IYWahjGY
Why is China so obsessed with Taiwan?
The island of Taiwan, just off the coast of China, is shaping up as the most likely spark for the next global conflict.China's president Xi Jinping wants to claim all the territory he thinks belongs to China, without triggering a nuclear war.It's a century-old civil war, which has been frozen in place for decades.It's an almost unimaginably dangerous situation, and one mistake could lead to catastrophe.This is a repeat episode. It was first broadcast on the 6th July, 2021 as part of the China, If You're Listening series.If you want to listen to the whole series you can find it here, or scroll back in your podcast feed.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0_VTGzZj2U
The brutal and bloody career of Iranian President Raisi
Earlier this week the President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in bad weather.Raisi was a phenomenally important figure in Middle Eastern politics — not just Iran's President, but the likely next Supreme Leader of Iran.He got there through acts of extreme brutality, showing his willingness to do anything to defend the Iranian status quo.How did Ebrahim Raisi become the heir-apparent to the Iranian Supreme Leadership, and what could happen now he's gone?Listen to our other episodes about Iran:Iran, Israel and the calculus of revengeThe Ayatollah who dreamed of an Iranian caliphateHow the Shah's cancer led to Iran's rift with the USSubscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0_VTGzZj2U
Should we treat domestic violence like we treat terrorism?
Australia's first domestic violence shelter Elsie opened in the 1970s, and researchers have been analysing the problem ever since.In the last three decades more than 1,500 women have been killed by intimate partners in Australia and we're still no closer to finding out why.Campaigner Rosie Batty has compared domestic violence to terrorism, and called for similar levels of funding.Is that comparison extreme, or is it the best way to get us closer to fixing the problem?*EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode incorrectly states that Luke Batty was 14 years old at the time of his death. He was 11 years old when he died.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube.
The man who destroyed his life to try to put Trump in jail
Michael Cohen is the star witness in the Trump 'hush-money' trial.He was once Trump's personal attorney and said he would "take a bullet" for his boss, but then everything changed.He has served years in prison for lying, tax fraud, bank fraud and campaign finance violations.But he thinks everything he's gone through will be worth it if he can take Trump down.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPubAjtbc4
Is Brisbane repeating the Olympic mistakes of the past
Plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics are not going well.It's a political quagmire, with plans for billion-dollar stadium upgrades or massive new venues being thrown around like confetti.There are concerns that Brisbane is going to blow its budget.Fifty years ago, the 1976 Montreal Olympics suffered a financial disaster so massive it nearly heralded the end of the Olympic Games.Is Brisbane repeating the mistakes of the past?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VRUVQz-Dlw
Could Benjamin Netanyahu go to jail?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.He is doing everything he can to stay in office, because if he holds office, he can't be thrown in jail.Sound familiar? It's a bit like Donald Trump's situation in the United States.But Netanyahu's case has an old-school flavour. It's a fierce battle between media tycoons, and it even involves Australian media nepo baby James Packer.It's a rollicking tale. But with a military campaign against Gaza and tensions with Iran rising, it could also change the fate of the war in the Middle East.For more on Benjamin Netanyahu's history, check out this episode: Can Israel rescue the hostages?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25NndMbkhVE
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.
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
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.
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
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?
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 YouTubeSubscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5pPcV54kiQ
Looking for Modi 04 | When holy politics turn violent
In January 2024, Narendra Modi travelled to the northern Indian town of Ayodhya to attend the consecration of a Hindu temple with a very contested history. The site had previously been occupied by a 500-year-old mosque, and had become a focal point of broader disputes between India's Hindu and Muslim communities.That fight over one hill in Ayodhya resulted in a demolition, mass protests and deadly retaliations across India. It also gave Modi a cause he could champion throughout his rapid political rise.

How Japan opted out of a global housing crisis
Australia’s housing market is, like many places in the Western world, in the midst of a crisis that feels like it will never be solved. Owning a property in an Australian city has only drifted further out of reach for most Australians in the last decade, and there are very few practical solutions on offer. Is it possible to actually unpick this situation?Japan offers a useful example. Thirty years ago, property in Tokyo was the most expensive in the world. Today, home ownership in that same city is comparatively affordable, with plenty of available stock on the market. How was this massive turnaround achieved, and how can other countries learn from the Japanese model?
Looking for Modi 03 | Modi and the Swami
When Narendra Modi left home, it wasn't to begin a career in politics. He wanted to be a monk. Modi's teenaged pilgrimage would take him across India, following the trail of his country's most influential religious leader. It was a journey that would ultimately steer him towards politics, and lay the foundation for some of his most popular and controversial philosophies.

Kate Middleton and the 100-year history of fake photos
The Princess of Wales has barely been seen since Christmas and everyone is asking, where is Kate?The Royal Family released a photo meant to squash the rumours, but when it became obvious it had been photoshopped, the speculation just got worse.Fake photos are everywhere, and there's a long history of people doctoring them, from photocopying to photoshopping, to straight up AI.But is there a time coming where we won't be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihzt5GNfnig
Looking for Modi 02 | The abandoned wife
For most politicians, the image of a stable marriage and a happy family is a crucial part of their pitch to voters. But in India, being single is a selling point: leaders want to show that they are dedicated only to their country. Narendra Modi's carefully crafted image of a bachelor was up-ended when it emerged that he had a wife who had been kept secret for decades.Since this scandal broke, Modi's estranged wife has barely been seen or spoken to the media. In this episode, we're going to find her.

Why does Putin bother holding elections?
Russia is in the midst of an election, but we already know Vladimir Putin will win. He always wins.So why does Russia bother holding elections? What’s the point?Putin learned a lesson many years ago about the illusion of democracy, and it’s one he has never forgotten.
Looking For Modi 01 | Humble beginnings
Every Tuesday for the next seven weeks, we'll be dropping an extra episode from a new ABC podcast into the If You're Listening feed. Looking for Modi, hosted by the ABC's South Asia correspondent Avani Dias, examines the life and political career of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. It's a fascinating show that we think you might enjoy. Matt will be back with another episode on Thursday.Narendra Modi's rise from poverty-stricken childhood has been a major appeal throughout his political career. He tells ordinary Indians that he is just like them, and that his life is proof of India's egalitarian democracy. But in truth, some of the central elements of his own biography are disputed. What do we really know about his origin story, and how did his time spent with a volunteer right wing organisation many view as a paramilitary group influence his politics?

How China hires hackers
The police arrested and interrogated Andrew after he was set up by hackers.Now we know how Chinese spies pull it off.An unprecedented leak of data from Chinese company i-Soon has cracked open the black box, revealing the secrets of China's cyber espionage operations.Correction: When Andrew Phelan was taken in for questioning by Victoria Police, he was never chargedSubscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c58XyP6Bx1E

Is Donald Trump running out of money?
Donald Trump was ordered to pay a $463.9 million fine for lying to banks about how rich he is.He's also facing at least five other cases that could cost him millions more in legal fees and fines.And this is all happening as he tries to run for president again — and political campaigns ain't cheap.So the question is: Can Donald Trump make it to election day without running out of money?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzEp-Vr4Oao

The Ayatollah who dreamed of an Iranian caliphate
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was a revolutionary leader with a revolutionary idea.In just 10 years as Supreme Leader, Iran became a global pariah; virtually friendless in the international community.Yet when he died, millions of Iranians hysterically grieved his death.In today's episode, how Ayatollah Khomeini changed the course of Middle Eastern history, and how his ideas are still affecting us today.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOsdbCwS5qQ

How the Shah's cancer led to Iran's rift with the US
In 1974, the Shah of Iran was diagnosed with cancer.It led to a Shakespearean tragedy that brought about the end of the Iranian monarchy and shaped the Middle East conflict we're seeing today.As open warfare between the US and Iran becomes more and more likely by the day, it's worth remembering that it all started with something tiny — a small lump in the spleen of one man.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZgrNZDxQhA

How Houthi rebels are embarrassing the world's biggest navy
The Red Sea is the most trafficked trade route in the world, and now the US Navy and a group of militant Houthi rebels are going to war over it.The Houthis are attacking ships it says are linked to Israel and its allies; America is desperately trying to stop them. I mean, America might not get directly involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict, but you bet they'll protect their trade routes.The stakes couldn't be higher — if the US can't prove they have this under control, plenty of other groups around the world might decide to try their hand at blocking global trade as well.Editor's note: This introduction has been edited to clarify that not only Israeli ships have been targeted in Houthi attacks.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYJFHtTYc0g

Can Zelenskyy get the world to care about Ukraine again?
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a new problem. As well as fighting Russia, he also has to fight Israel and Hamas for the world's attention.The shift in attention to Gaza has already meant Ukraine has lost crucial support.The question is — can Zelenskyy get the world to care about Ukraine again? And if not, what will that mean for the war?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fSMBo3xGBQ

What is China's "panda diplomacy"?
China's pandas are not just pandas. They're diplomats.You're friendly to China? You get a panda. You criticise China? You get no pandas.In recent years China has been hostile toward the West, with the most literal symbol of their displeasure being the withdrawal of their pandas from zoos around the world.And yet, Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to be having a change of heart.This may indicate something very important — a return to a more peaceful relationship with the West.But why? And why are pandas the key to understanding it?Please participate in our listener survey!Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzM1L3Nrc-I

Can OpenAI save us from a robot apocalypse?
The world's most famous artificial intelligence company, OpenAI — the creator of ChatGPT — was set up to create a superintelligent AI, while at the same time safeguarding humanity from an omnipotent robot overlord which could enslave us all.But last week the company fell into chaos. OpenAI fired its wunderkind CEO Sam Altman.Just days later, under intense pressure, Sam Altman was put back in charge and the entire board was booted.So is an AI apocalypse possible, and with Altman back in charge, will OpenAI be able to protect us from its own robots?Please participate in our listener survey!Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR8c10Tkb3E

China's play to win the heart of the Pacific
China is using cash to try and shore up support in the Pacific.In Honiara, the Solomon Islands capital, they just built most of the venues in the Pacific Games precinct.And China is not alone. Like a geopolitical version of The Bachelor, China, Taiwan, Australia and the United States are all trying desperately to win Honiara's heart.This tussle has caused panic in Taipei and Canberra, anger in Beijing and Washington, and actual violence in the Solomons.It's hard to think of a more perfect example of trouble in paradise.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Check out our series on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzF_o11VvuQ

How North Korea makes a fortune stealing crypto
As international sanctions have cut into North Korea's ability to import and export things, they've become desperate for cash.They've been running crazy schemes to get it — smuggling, stealing, lying, cheating, swashbuckling — but that's nothing compared to what they make from stealing cryptocurrency.In fact, most of their foreign currency now comes from stolen crypto.So, can anything be done to stop the world's first nuclear-armed crypto bro, Kim Jong-un?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7eK8MO7c0Q

Can Israel rescue the hostages?
The Israeli hostages Hamas took back on October 7th still have not been rescued.The 1976 Entebbe rescue mission is legendary and gave Israel a reputation — they get hostages back no matter what.Now this reputation is putting enormous pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rescue the hostages again.The question is — can he?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQx0U-bfd7A

Who is Hezbollah, the group backing Hamas?
While Israel tries to defeat Hamas, they also have to worry about a much more dangerous paramilitary group on their northern border: Hezbollah.The express purpose of Hezbollah, which formed 40 years ago, is also to eradicate Israel.It would be a nightmare for Israel if Hezbollah swings in and backs Hamas up.So where did Hezbollah form, why do they hate Israel, and what hand did Israel have in their creation?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ4x0gAzJx4

How did Hamas catch Israel by surprise?
The Israeli Government has one of the most well-resourced intelligence communities in the world, specifically tasked with preventing attacks from Hamas.So how did it fail to detect an operation that involved months of planning, meetings in multiple countries, and thousands of militants?This is part two in our series on the Israel-Gaza conflict.Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Catch up on our series about the Israel-Gaza conflict on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYJFHtTYc0g

How a quadriplegic charity worker became the founder of Hamas
Last week, Hamas burst out of the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, killing at least 1,400 people, the vast majority of them Israeli civilians.But Hamas' origins go back decades, to its founder Ahmed Yassin.How did a disabled refugee from Gaza become one of the most influential men in Palestine?And how did he take Hamas from obscurity to wresting control of the Gaza Strip?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VqWVeanOS0

The ridiculous assassination plot that sent Haiti into chaos
In 2021, a doctor from Florida met with a group of men to plan the overthrow of the Haitian President.The plot triggered a series of events which led to the President's death, the almost total collapse of the government, and the rise of mob rule in Haiti.So why is Kenya now being sent in to save the day?Subscribe to If You're Listening on the ABC Listen app.Find more If You're Listening on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhcd5oos_P4