As China brokers a major diplomatic deal between Saudi Arabia and its long-standing rival, Iran, Sam and Alan review the moments in history that have led to these developments, consider the strategic context in the Middle East, and discuss whether a new regional order is in the making.

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sam and Alan sit down to discuss how Ukraine has shown far more resolve than expected in both Russia and the West, how the war has shaped politics in Putin's Russia, and why Biden's recent surprise visit to Kyiv may be remembered as a pivotal moment in the history of NATO.

The Indian National Congress, down on its luck in recent years, has engineered a uniquely South Asian political stunt in the form of the Bharat Jodo Yatra ("Unite India March"). In this episode, Sam and Alan explain the movement's motivations, its potential effects on India's upcoming elections, and its relationship with the changing face of Indian national identity.

After more than five years in office, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced her plans to resign. Sam and Alan discuss why she elected to leave office, the legacy she leaves behind, and what's next for the Labour Party and New Zealand as a whole.

A brief discussion of the history of COVID-19 policy in China, with special focus on the domestic and foreign ramifications of the late 2022/early 2023 surge of infections.