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ASSASSINS

ABC Australia

History often moves slowly, almost imperceptibly. But sometimes, the world is changed forever by a single, brutal act of violence. ASSASSINS tells the stories of these moments of chaos and fire. Each week host Aslan Pahari will bring you stories of the world's most shocking assassinations that changed the course of history.

From the lone wolf hitman to the professional assassin, you'll hear how famous figures like Abraham Lincoln, Benazir Bhutto, Ramses III, Tupac, Rasputin, and Gandhi met their end and the fallout when the world is upended by an assassin's hand.

Every episode will be available as audio and video, just search for ASSASSINS with Aslan Pahari on the ABC listen app, ABC iview or wherever you get your podcasts.

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  • 28 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 17 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • April 29 · 16 min

    How to defeat the Sicilian mafia: Part two

    Magistrate Giovanni Falcone should have been too scared to take on the Sicilian mafia. After all, many of his colleagues had died trying to bring the Cosa Nostra to justice. So how did he do it? And why was victory, when it came, so bittersweet? This is the second in a two-part series about mafia assassinations in Italy. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Eve Cogan, Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives resear

  • April 22 · 15 min

    The magistrate vs the mafia: Part one

    The Italian mafia once held regular meetings to decide which public figure needed to be assassinated. Some decisions were because of long-held grudges by these Sicilian "men of honour". Other killings were about stopping someone from challenging the mafia's power in southern Italy. For Sicilian magistrate Cesare Terranova, both of those reasons made him the target of the notorious Cosa Nostra. This is the first in a two-part series about mafia assassinations in Italy. Host: Aslan Pahari Prod

  • April 15 · 15 min

    The plot to kill Iran's loudest dissident — Masih Alinejad

    Would-be assassins have tried to kill or abduct Masih Alinejad at least three times.  Somehow, she's still alive. The former Iranian journalist fled her home country over 15 years ago. From America, she started a hugely popular global campaign against Iran's hijab laws. But why do people want her dead?  Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Eve Cogan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Pr

  • March 26 · 17 min

    Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi hit squad that dismembered him

    Who wins in a feud between a Washington Post journalist… and his own Crown Prince? Saudi Arabian columnist Jamal Khashoggi ran monthly op-eds about how Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was ruining his country. But MBS is not a man who's known for his tolerance. And something snapped. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special thanks: Michael Osmond for archives research Supervising Producer: Kyla Slaven Executive Pr

  • March 18 · 14 min

    The Army of God and the killing of abortion doctors (Part 2)

    The Army of God has been described by the American government as a domestic underground Christian terrorist organisation. The group's been accused of organising arson and bomb attacks against abortion clinics. But was it also connected to the 2009 killing of abortion provider Dr George Tiller? NOTE: This episode is the second in two parts series about the American abortion provider Dr George Tiller. Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan

  • March 11 · 15 min

    The anti-abortion assassin (Part 1)

    Bombings. Break-ins. Setting fire to abortion clinics.     The extremist wing of the anti-abortion movement in the United States has actively targeted clinics that provide abortions to women. But it has also attacked the humans working there, sometimes with deadly consequences.   This week, the 2009 assassination of Dr George Tiller, a high-profile abortion provider in Kansas.  Host: Aslan Pahari  Producer: Hannah Jose  Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls  Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat  S

  • March 4 · 18 min

    Is Aurangzeb India’s most significant assassin?

    The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the majestic Taj Mahal to commemorate his beloved wife Mumtaz after she died. The couple's children, however, were far less loving with each other. They fought a bloody battle of succession that divided them all and ended with Aurangzeb assassinating his brother, Dara Shikoh. How did things get so bad in this powerful 17th century family? Host: Aslan Pahari Producer: Hannah Jose Audio Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Video Producers: Dylan Behan, Tejas Bhat Special

  • February 25 · 18 min

    “Z”: The Oscar-winning film banned in Greece

    At the 1970 Academy Awards the movie "Z" won the Oscar for best foreign film. The film opens with this line: "Any similarity to actual persons and events is not coincidental. It is INTENTIONAL". You see, it was inspired by the real-life assassination of Greek athlete turned activist, Grigoris Lambrakis. Released just 6 years after his killing, the film was immediately banned in his homeland. Film podcaster and proud Greek Australian, Alexei Toliopoulos loves this movie and tells us why this

Showing 21–28 of 28 episodes