Bruce Shapiro's USA, antibiotic resistance in India, plus Marralwanga's bark paintings

This episode of Late Night Live explores three urgent global issues through incisive interviews and deep analysis. First, Bruce Shapiro dissects Donald Trump's escalating rhetoric and actions in international affairs, warning that Trump’s deliberate provocation and threat of war crimes—particularly against Iran—represent a dangerous departure from norms, driven by narcissism and a theatrical approach to power. Shapiro emphasizes the moral and legal gravity of these threats, citing the U.S. War Crimes Act and the potential for military resistance from within the ranks. The conversation then shifts to India’s escalating antibiotic resistance crisis, with anthropologist Asa Doran revealing how systemic failures—overcrowded hospitals, poor sanitation, insecure labor, and unregulated pharmaceutical and agricultural industries—have turned India into a global hotspot for superbugs. Despite India’s pride in its generic drug industry, the overuse of antibiotics in human medicine, farming, and manufacturing has created a perfect storm, with 60,000 newborns dying annually from resistant sepsis. Doran stresses that the solution lies not in blaming individuals but in fixing broken systems. Finally, the program honors the legacy of Peter Maralwanga, a pioneering bark painter from Western Arnhem Land whose work transformed Aboriginal art. Through a conversation with co-author Luke Taylor, the episode celebrates Maralwanga’s deep spiritual connection to country, his innovative use of cross-hatching and symbolism, and his role in asserting Indigenous sovereignty through art, even as he resisted assimilation policies. The episode closes with a preview of upcoming segments on cultural resistance and the war on the arts under Trump.