The Focus
The Focus
The news today is often biased at the personal, organisational and structural levels, polarising our societies. The Focus is a program designed to cut through this bias to get at the heart of a topic. Join Host Dr. John Bruni and Producers Malcolm Hughes and Neil Smart as they examine the pressing issues of our time whether in Australia or overseas. In an interdependent, troubled and fast-moving w…Social links:
South of the Border: The Immigration Crisis - U.S. Election 2024
The upcoming U.S. presidential election between incumbent Democrat Joe Biden & presumptive Republican candidate, former president Donald Trump is likely to be a bang-up contest between two very old men. The most pressing touch-button issue they’ll be facing is the number of undocumented arrivals fr…
53:35
Netanyahu v. Hamas - Complying with the Laws of War?
In this episode, John speaks with former Executive Director of Human Right’s Watch (HRW) & Princeton’s Prof. Kenneth Roth on Netanyahu v. Hamas. In a war known for having broken the laws of war on both sides, can anyone really say either Hamas or Netanyahu holds the moral high ground? Show notes: …
41:13
The Yemen Jigsaw Puzzle
🔥 Unraveling Yemen's Political Maze: The Shocking Truth Revealed! 💥 Brace yourselves for an eye-opening conversation that shatters every preconceived notion about Yemen! In an exclusive episode, John delves deep into the heart of Yemen's political labyrinth with none other than the European Inst…
51:02
Germany’s Resurgence?
In this episode John speak with Associate Fellow of the German Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Karl-Heinz Kamp. Karl-Heinz is a specialist on German foreign and strategic policy and we’ll be delving deep into what appears to be a German military resurgence in Europe. Will this strengthen the Cont…
1:30:37
On Cold War 2.0
In this episode, John is again joined by US Army LTG Ben Hodges (Ret.) where they discuss noted historian, author and commentator, Professor Niall Ferguson’s notion that we are currently in Cold War 2.0. Show Notes - For those of you who’d like to know more about the work of The Alphen Group (TA…
1:07:13
Middle East Madness
In this espisode, the first one for 2024, we start off hot by speaking with Scott Lucas on events in the Middle East from Gaza to Lebanon and from Yemen to Jordan and Iran, why have things gone so wrong and what lies ahead? Scott’s latest piece in The Conversation can be found - here 927 Magazine…
1:17:20
Can Labour’s Starmer Save Britain?
In this, our last episode for 2023, we have a treat for all you geopolitical junkies out there! We speak to Jonathan Powell, former Chief of Staff to the Blair government (1997-2007). 2024 will be a big year of elections around the world. One of which, the U.S. presidential election, due in Novembe…
44:24
Living The Beatles’ Life – The Mal Evans Story
In this episode, one of the last for 2023, we take a lighter turn as John speaks with Prof. Kenneth Womack, Professor of English and Popular Music at Monmouth University, New Jersey, talking about his latest book – a biography on Mal Evans – the Beatles’ Mr Fixit. This is a fascinating look at the …
58:46
The Democracy Dilemma: Unraveling the Fate of Nations
In this interview with Deakin University’s Emeritus Prof Damien Kingsbury, John discusses the main themes of Damien’s latest book “The Rise and Decline of Modern Democracy”, Routledge, 2023. What is democracy? How old is the variant we are living with? How has neoliberal economics played its part i…
1:19:44
Fear the Permacrisis?
In this episode, hot on the heels of the latest war in the Middle East, John speaks to writer and journalist Thomas Fazi to discuss ‘permacrisis’. What is it? And how does it threaten our way of life? Books by Thomas Fazi: The Battle for Europe: How an Elite Hijacked a Continent – and How We Can …
1:08:17