World News Weekly – An SBS World News Podcast

Confusion deepens on the Strait of Hormuz as President Trump extends the ceasefire with Iran. Another truce hangs in the balance with Israel and Hezbollah trading accusations - while thousands of Israeli troops draw a line in southern Lebanon. Plus, Japan loosens its long-standing arms export restrictions and world leaders flex their fitness credentials.

US-Iran talks collapse, and China feels the pressure over President Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, a stunning election victory signals a new era for Hungary and how Australia is helping to fuel Colombia’s drug trade.

A shaky ceasefire announced between US President Donald Trump and Iran as oil prices plummet in response. Decorated veteran Ben Roberts-Smith charged with war crimes, what they could mean for Australia’s military reputation. Plus, allegations of foreign interference overshadow Hungary’s upcoming election, and around the moon and back with Artemis II.

US President Donald Trump issues a new Middle East war deadline as Yemen’s Houthis put pressure on vital waterways. Plus, the US permits a rare oil shipment to ease Cuba’s energy crisis - what’s driving the sudden pivot? And Australia immortalises an iconic ‘dinner’ felon.

Donald Trump inflames confusion over war in the Middle East and where are Mojtaba Khamenei’s hidden millions? Plus, Israel raises annexation of southern Lebanon, Australia signs a massive trade deal with the EU, and some father-daughter time dictator style as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un rolls out the tanks.

The war in the Middle East is entering a dangerous new phase, with a global oil chokepoint at the centre of rising tensions, but just how far will NATO allies go to support Trump’s push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? Plus, a delayed China meeting raises fresh diplomatic concerns, and why not everyone is feeling the economic squeeze.

Trump tries to extinguish the oil price fire but Iran and Israel both double down on an extended war. Iranian women soccer players seek asylum and the Nepali youth’s hip-hop hero. Plus, Ready Player One? The virtual world to the rescue…

With the Supreme Leader killed, Iran lashes out. Will the Middle East choose sides as oil prices skyrocket and travel chaos sees thousands stranded. Plus, who could be next in line in Iran, could the US strikes encourage others into action and proof that sometimes the best defence is a very loud, slightly unhinged cuddly toy.

Can Ukraine hold the line as US support wavers going into a fifth year of fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion? Plus, an explosion of violence in Mexico after the killing of brutal cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ - will calm be restored in time for the World Cup? The US Supreme Court takes down Trump’s tariffs and POTUS uses his high-stakes State of the Union address to accuse Somalis of fraud

Marco Rubio sends mixed messages to Europe, Israel starts registration of large areas of the occupied West Bank and how new is Bangladesh’s new government? Plus, Chinoys celebrate lunar new year in the Philippines and Cocaine Sharks coming to waters near you.

A massive win for Japan’s hawkish first female PM worries China, conservatives reclaim Thailand and Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s most high-profile casualty of draconian security laws gets a ‘death sentence’. Plus, trouble growing at the winter Olympics.

The US and Iran tussle over talks to stave off more strikes, millions more Epstein documents touch the rich and powerful the world over from Elon Musk to the Norwegian princess-royal and more trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi don’t stop the destruction across Ukraine. Plus, US democracy in danger and what we learned when Melania Trump’s doco hit the cinemas…

President Trump feels the heat as ICE protests spread across the US, as Washington unveils real estate plans for Gaza - but are they based in reality? Plus, Myanmar’s military presses ahead with widely dismissed elections, and China’s panda diplomacy reaches an unbearable level.

Is Donald Trump’s retreat from tariffs and military threats over Greenland - a NATO reset or a tactical pause? Syria edges toward reunification but at a major cost to the Kurds – and IS group fighters escape. Plus how a farm girl’s plea from rural China went hog-wild online.

Can the economy-driven protests in Iran bring down the regime? Plus, the Venezuelan oil games continue as President Trump declares his global power answers to just one thing (hint: it’s not the UN or God), and why illegal importers are dicing with danger in Indonesia.

President Maduro snatched from his bed, Trump’s grab for Greenland unifies Europe. Plus, nationwide protests rattle the Iranian regime, and China’s stiff rise in the cost of condoms.

Terror strikes the iconic sands of Bondi Beach, sending shockwaves through Australia and Jewish communities worldwide - how did the deadly attack unfold, and what does it mean for national security? Plus, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signals cautious optimism in high-stakes Ukraine peace talks but is a deal with Russia any closer? And Donald Trump brands fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ as tensions escalate with Venezuela.

Ceasefires are collapsing from Southeast Asia to eastern DRC, with civilians once again bearing the brunt of diplomatic failure. Plus, one year after the fall of the brutal Assad regime, are Syrians any better off? And FIFA honours President Trump – but is the prize an own goal?

Devastating floods and landslides wreak havoc across much of south-east Asia. No compromise reached after the Russian President and the US try to iron out a revamped peace proposal for Ukraine. Plus, the asylum seekers living in limbo – why they’re pleading with the Australian government to grant them leniency - and the rebel nuns refusing to give up their social media accounts.

Alarm bells in Kyiv and Europe as the US is accused of presenting Putin’s peace plan for Ukraine. The ‘make or break’ COP30 climate conference ends in failure – have the petro-states won? Plus, the unlikely bromance blossoming in the Oval Office.

Trump wipes the slate clean of murder for Mohammed bin Salman because ‘things happen’. The Epstein files move a big step closer to being released and what it’s like reporting on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Plus, the comment that sent China-Japan relations plummeting.

Typhoon Fung Wong leaves a vast trail of destruction in the Philippines, Syrian President Al-Sharaa shoots hoops before meeting Trump and Trump COPs it in Brazil. Also Zelenskyy under fire from corruption allegations, why AI is spreading Russian propaganda, and Bob Ross makes a splash.

Confronting reports of mass killings in Sudan, after a key city in Darfur falls to the RSF. The plan for an international stabilisation force for Gaza makes its way to the UN and it’s ‘GAME ON’ after the democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins NY – with Donald Trump threatening to cut federal funding to the city. Plus, why young men in China are opening up about getting the snip.

Donald Trump talks up tributes and tariff deals on his Asia tour, as well as the possibility of a third term as he stops in on the ASEAN and APEC summits. In Gaza, Israel and Hamas accuse each other of ceasefire violations. US sanctions on Russian oil piles the pressure on Putin, and a curriculum catastrophe for Queensland students.

In this episode: Behind the scenes of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s highly anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump, while Ukraine’s leader Vlodymyr Zelenskyy walks away from the White House without his Tomahawk missiles. Plus, more threats to the Gaza ceasefire despite optimism from US Vice President JD Vance, the ‘high-stakes’ meeting between the Australian and Indonesian military chiefs, and how a daring daylight robbery unfolded at the Louvre.

Israeli hostages have been released and Palestinians prisoners freed, but is the Trump-brokered truce a turning point or just a timeout? This in-depth episode explores the deal, the delivery of aid, and the future of Gaza.

Hamas and Israel sign up for Phase One of Trump's new 20-point plan for peace in Gaza. France's revolving door on its prime ministerial office takes another spin. Plus Australia and PNG sign on to an expanded alliance for regional cooperation. And how desperate for $5,000 are you? Take a job at a haunted hotel desperate?

A new 20-point plan for peace in Gaza gains support among the international community. Trump warns the US military of the enemy from within as Hegseth tells Generals to slim down for the war on woke. Plus, Democrats and Republicans point the finger at each other as the US government shuts down. Also, Moscow warns of a new red line in the war in Ukraine. And, China launches a campaign to stamp out online negativity.

Ten Western nations (including Australia, the UK, and France) formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. Our correspondents bring you the latest from New York, as they break down the statehood debate, MAGA’s escalating war on the left, and Trump’s unsubstantiated claims linking paracetamol and autism.

Donald Trump gets some face time with the King & Queen on a state visit to the UK. A UN commission of inquiry finds Israel’s war in Gaza amounts to genocide as Israel’s ground operation in Gaza City gets underway. MAGA vows war on the left in response to Charlie Kirk's killing and Bolsonaro is sentenced to 27 years in jail. Plus, Albania unveils an all AI minister.

Israel's strike on Qatar blows up ceasefire talks, the prime ministers of Nepal, Japan and France depart in a hurry, and Albanese battles for influence in the Pacific, while Moldova battles to stop Putin’s influence ahead of elections. Plus, the Murdoch succession is finally settled.

In this episode: China’s military parade and its guests of honour the US media has dubbed ‘the Axis of Upheaval’, protesters mobilise across Indonesia as parliamentary allowances trigger mass unrest. Plus, Thailand faces yet another political crisis while environmental concerns escalate across the border in Myanmar. And the holographic warning to all would-be criminals.

In this episode: Australia punishes Iran after dramatic revelations in Canberra, Trump’s latest threats to set troops on more Democrat-held cities in the US, and a mass deportation pitch from the UK’s far right. Plus, why Venezuelan housewives are joining Maduro’s militia and South Korea’s supernatural export pops on global streaming.

In this episode, we cover Donald Trump's latest attempts at peace for Ukraine, and the growing ties between India and Russia. Also, the diplomatic row between Israel and Australia deepens. Plus, Xi Jinping visits Tibet and the White House embraces TikTok.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin face off for the first time in six years, with the future of Ukraine hanging in the balance. Anthony Albanese announces Australia will recognise a Palestinian state, sparking praise and condemnation. Plus, the Haitian gang leader with a US$5 million bounty on his head, and the world’s worst would-be assassin?

Another deadline to Vladimir Putin comes and goes without a ceasefire, as Donald Trump eyes a high-stakes meeting on Ukraine’s future. Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plan to ‘conquer’ Gaza sparks an unprecedented backlash from current and former military chiefs, while Lebanon moves to disarm Hezbollah. Plus, why America’s top data chief was fired, and the war of words at the Korean border goes strangely quiet.

In this episode: President Trump’s shows a deep hatred of windmills during his ‘diplomatic’ trip to Scotland, and Canada moves to recognise Palestinian statehood, the latest US ally to shift its foreign policy. Plus, the Shakespearean drama fuelling deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, and when popstars meet politicians - the dark horse couple no one saw coming.

President Trump triggers MAGA mutiny over Epstein files, Japan’s far-right gains ground after an historic election upset, and pressure mounts on Israel as Gaza edges closer to famine. Plus, a climate court ruling shakes up global accountability, and New Delhi's diplomatic imposter.

Russia faces another Trump deadline to end the war in Ukraine, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wraps up his trip to China, and violence flares again in Syria as Israeli airstrikes target Damascus. Plus, a secret UK plan to resettle Afghans is exposed, and the world’s oldest president wants another term.

In this episode: Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington, while a Gaza ceasefire remains elusive, and Taiwan answers China’s military pressure with drills of its own. Plus, The UN ramps up calls for the Taliban to end their oppression on women and girls in Afghanistan - but will it have any effect? And we take you inside the courtroom for the dramatic finale of the mushroom murder trial that shocked the world.

US President Trump ups the pressure on Israel and Hamas for a Gaza ceasefire, but questions remain around what’s really on the table, and what’s motivating it. Plus, how America’s strikes on Iran could have implications for Taiwan, and a rare message from the Dalai Lama sparks a political and spiritual standoff with China.

The unfolding events of the Israel-Iran conflict and what the future could hold for Tehran’s regime. Plus, the big bucks promised at the NATO summit, Georgia crackdowns on dissent, and the Armenian Prime Minister’s controversial plan to put religious rumours to bed.

A new, long-feared frontline opens in the Middle East as President Trump considers US involvement. Plus, what didn't happen at the G7 Summit, political violence rattles America, and a bizarre museum mishap poses a moral dilemma.

Israel says it is defending its very existence with massive, pre-emptive strikes on Iran; Senior Israeli ministers are sanctioned by Australia; and Donald Trump calls in the national guard, setting up a showdown with California’s governor.

How Ukraine’s astonishing raid on Russian bombers has redefined the war, Israel’s tightening grip on the West Bank, and the rise of Karol Nawrocki—what the untested, right-wing political novice means for Poland, and Europe’s future. Plus, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth makes waves in Asia, and a billionaire bromance on the rocks.

Australia’s government joins growing condemnation of Israel’s war on Gaza, the competition for influence in the Pacific, and has President Trump’s tough stance pushed Russia any closer to a ceasefire? Plus, a surprising result in Lebanon’s municipal elections and the beatboxing skills of a Brazilian nun.

We explore the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as aid struggles to reach over 2 million people. Plus, a fiery Senate showdown for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a breakthrough in Türkiye's decades-long conflict, and why joking about rice just cost a Japanese minister his job.

In this episode: President Trump’s tour of the Middle East sees key deals signed and sanctions rolled back - what does it mean for the region? Plus, Prime Minister Albanese’s diplomatic balancing act with Indonesia’s leader, what the results of the Philippines midterms mean for two political dynasties, the latest on Ukraine peace negotiations, and how a used tissue became a tool of wartime propaganda.

In this episode: Co-hosting from Vatican City, International Correspondent Ben Lewis tells us about the new pope, as cross-border assaults ramp up between India and Pakistan. Plus, a German headache, Israel’s plan to reoccupy Gaza, and decoding dolphin swear words.

In this episode: the seismic shifts that shaped President Trump first 100 days in office, Israel’s legal duties towards Palestinians in the spotlight at the International Court of Justice, and a look at how Mark Carney went from underdog to unlikely winner in Canada’s election.