If You're Listening podcast

If You're Listening

·

  ABC  

The world is on fire. There's a coup. 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. Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs. The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change. There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.

The world is on fire. There's a coup. 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. Recent episodes include an exploration of the relationship between India and China, a closer look at the Saudi Arabian city of NEOM, the conflict in the Middle East, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and Ukraine's incursions into Vladimir Putin's Russia. Matt Bevan draws connections between stories from the past and the events of the present to help listeners understand world news and international affairs. The podcast also features series about big moments in world news; previous series have focused on the United States presidential election, the United Kingdom's 14 years of Conservative Party leadership, Donald Trump's relationship with Russia, Donald Trump's presidency and promise to Make America Great Again, the Mueller Report, Vladimir Putin's scheme to destroy western democracies, how the relationship between Australia and China came to the verge of collapse, and Australia's turbulent history with climate change. There's a new episode of If You're Listening every Thursday.

 

#227

24 hours after the Bondi shooting

On Sunday the 14th of December, two men; a father and son, used a range of firearms to att... more

6 hrs Ago

25 MINS

25:00

6 hrs Ago


#226

Why is Venezuela falling apart?

During a 15 minute phone call, US President Donald Trump offered the Venezuelan President ... more

10 Dec 2025

22 MINS

22:00

10 Dec 2025


#225

This robot will shoot you and steal your wife

We have always been obsessed with stories about killer robots. But where do stories about ... more

08 Dec 2025

21 MINS

21:30

08 Dec 2025


#224

Where’s my robot butler?

Tech bros are racing to develop the first mass-produced humanoid. But despite billions of ... more

03 Dec 2025

22 MINS

22:00

03 Dec 2025


#223

Is internet piracy making a comeback, me hearties?

You wouldn't steal a podcast! After meeting the founder of Sweden's Pirate Party, Rick Fal... more

01 Dec 2025

22 MINS

22:24

01 Dec 2025


#222

Is China’s plan to invade Taiwan inevitable?

Currently, as many as 5000 Chinese spies are operating in Taiwan. Many of Taiwan’s allies ... more

26 Nov 2025

22 MINS

22:18

26 Nov 2025


#221

The time Andrew Denton tried to hire a bounty hunter

In the early 90s, Australia’s most wanted fugitive was Christopher Skase. He was hiding on... more

24 Nov 2025

22 MINS

22:00

24 Nov 2025


#220

The truth about China’s social credit scores

For the last decade or so, there’s been a lot of talk about how the Chinese government use... more

19 Nov 2025

23 MINS

23:30

19 Nov 2025


#219

maTt and kaRa address yoUr conspiracy THeory

Get ready as Matt and Kara address a whole lot more listener questions. All things from El... more

17 Nov 2025

24 MINS

24:00

17 Nov 2025


#218

So you’ve robbed the Louvre… now what?

On the 19th of October at 9:30am, two thieves parked a truck at the Louvre. They carved a ... more

12 Nov 2025

22 MINS

22:12

12 Nov 2025


#217

Was the CIA involved in Whitlam's dismissal?

On 11 November 1975, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was sacked by Governor-General Sir John ... more

10 Nov 2025

26 MINS

26:04

10 Nov 2025


#216

Can we afford to power AI?

In the last decade, the number of data centres worldwide has doubled. As the tech bros spe... more

05 Nov 2025

25 MINS

25:24

05 Nov 2025


#215

This town ain't big enough for two dog puppets

This episode is about a lawsuit between two puppet dogs. What more do you need? This past ... more

03 Nov 2025

19 MINS

19:30

03 Nov 2025


#214

Is the AI bubble too big to burst?

There are no salary caps when it comes to securing the future brains of AI researchers. Ma... more

29 Oct 2025

23 MINS

23:30

29 Oct 2025


#213

The people have spoken and they love mud

Today Matt and Kara are answering your questions, mostly about Trump and mud. They talk ab... more

27 Oct 2025

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27 Oct 2025


#212

Sizing up the Gaza rebuild

On October 8, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agr... more

22 Oct 2025

23 MINS

23:00

22 Oct 2025


#211

The balloon that started the US Air Force

So, Matt has found a shiny new rabbit hole to get lost in and this time it's balloons. Mor... more

20 Oct 2025

26 MINS

26:00

20 Oct 2025


#210

What happens if Trump takes over the Federal Reserve?

US President Donald Trump has set his sights on the Federal Reserve, his unprecedented thr... more

15 Oct 2025

23 MINS

23:24

15 Oct 2025


#209

The time the US Navy teamed up with the Mafia

Yes you read that right. It's a wild story from the latest series of No One Saw it Coming,... more

13 Oct 2025

17 MINS

17:00

13 Oct 2025


#208

Weighing up Ozempic

This episode originally aired in September 2023. For a century, society has bullied and sh... more

08 Oct 2025

16 MINS

16:30

08 Oct 2025


#207

The Montana Mountain King and a conspiracy to clone

Last year, environment reporter Peter de Kruijff stumbled on the case of 81-year-old ranch... more

06 Oct 2025

21 MINS

21:18

06 Oct 2025


#206

How dodgy data sent China's economy off course

This episode originally aired in August 2023. How do you plan for a country when you don’t... more

01 Oct 2025

17 MINS

17:00

01 Oct 2025


#205

Florida Man Invades Venezuela

While working on last Thursday’s episode, Matt had the very sad but familiar experience of... more

29 Sep 2025

24 MINS

24:00

29 Sep 2025


#204

Why Trump is blowing up boats off Venezuela

The U.S. military has now attacked three boats off the coast of Venezuela in as many weeks... more

24 Sep 2025

23 MINS

23:00

24 Sep 2025


#203

This can't be good for our brains

It’s been almost two weeks since we woke up to the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. I... more

22 Sep 2025

28 MINS

28:30

22 Sep 2025


#202

Charlie Kirk’s murder sparks calls for revenge

In the days since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the internet has been awash with conf... more

17 Sep 2025

24 MINS

24:18

17 Sep 2025


#201

The Kurdish Fox and the Strawberry

While researching our last episode on the bizarre wave of Iran-banked anti-semitic attacks... more

15 Sep 2025

25 MINS

25:00

15 Sep 2025