Dec 7, 2024 | In just over a week, opposition forces in Syria have seized major cities including Aleppo, and large swathes of territory. They've faced little or no resistance from the Syrian military, apart from air strikes involving Russia. And with Damascus in the opposition's sights, what's President Bashar Al Assad's strategy?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Charles Lister - Director of the Syria and Counterterrorism Programs at the Middle East Institute
Marie Forestier - senior advisor at the European Institute of Peace
Sawsan Abou Zainedin - Chief Executive officer of the Madaniya, an independent Syrian-led civil society initiative.
Jul 15, 2024 | A campaign rally turned into a scene of horror on Saturday, as former US President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. The gunman fired from a nearby rooftop and was quickly taken down by Secret Service agents. The FBI has now classified it as a potential act of domestic terrorism.
President Joe Biden condemned the shooting and expressed sympathy to his opponent, in a rare break from the animosity between the two men. Could this mark the beginning of a perilous period for political violence in America? Or will the polarisation and tension recede amid the wave of shock?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan
Guests: Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior Fellow at Carnegie's Democracy, Conflict and Governance Program.
Amy Koch, Republican Political Strategist.
Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor of US Government at the University of Essex.
Jul 8, 2024 | An inconclusive election in France - but with one certainty, the far-right won't lead the next government.
A leftist bloc came out on top, ahead of President Macron's centrists -- with the far-right National Rally beaten into third place. So, what does the result mean?
Presenter: Neave Barker
Guests:
Rokhaya Diallo - Writer and an Anti-Racism Activist and researcher at Georgetown University.
Victor Mallet - Senior Editor at the Financial Times and a former Paris Bureau Chief.
Suzanne Lynch - Global Playbook Author and Associate Editor at Politico.
Nov 13, 2023 | David Cameron stunned Britain when he quit as Prime Minister after the 2016 Brexit referendum. Now, he has triggered another political earthquake, making a shock return as Foreign Secretary.
That follows the sacking of the interior minister who tried and failed to suppress major demonstrations in support of Palestinians in Gaza. So what does this mean for UK policy - at home and abroad?
Jul 8, 2023 | An alternative to Twitter is launched by Meta Threads. It hopes Threads will profit from unpopular changes made to the platform under Elon Musk's ownership. So, is it just a clone - or is it a revolution in social media? And what does it mean for users around the world?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Elaine Burke, Science and Technology journalist, host of For Tech's Sake podcast.
Sherilyn Naidoo, Lawyer and Policy Adviser to Big Tech Accountability Team, Amnesty International.
Sarah Kreps, Founder and Director of the Technology Policy Institute at Cornell University, and Author of 'Social Media's International Relations'
Jun 24, 2023 | The number of adults living with diabetes worldwide will more than double by 2050 -- surpassing most diseases on a global scale. That’s according to a study published in the Lancet medical journal.
The research reveals more than half a billion people currently live with diabetes worldwide, and every country is expected to see a major increase.
Rapidly rising levels of obesity and widening inequalities in healthcare are identified as key factors.
Will the world heed the warning and address the diabetes threat? And can a healthier future be secured for everyone?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault
Guests :
Dr. Rayaz Malik - Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar and a pioneering researcher of diabetes.
Dr. Shivani Agarwa - Associate Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Lead author on one of the Lancet reports.
Mohammad Dabbah - Head of Artifical Intelligence at sports data provider Statsbomb.
May 29, 2023 | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan re-elected in run-off vote - but faces big domestic and foreign policy challenges ahead It went to a run-off after a very tight first round, but Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the clear winner of Turkey's presidential election. Opponents expressed dismay with the result reflecting deep political divisions in the country.
A key player between East and West, Turkey's relations are complex with the NATO member also on good terms with Russia. So, what can we expect from Erdogan's third term at home and abroad?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault
Guests: Helin Sari Ertem, Associate Prof. of Intern'l Relations at Istanbul Medeniyet University
Ben Aris, Founder/Editor-in-chief, BNE IntelliNews.
Onur Erim, Political Adviser, President of Dragoman Strategies.
Einar Tangen - Senior Fellow at the Taihe Institute think-tank, Beijing.
Vicky Pryce - Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, London.
Steven Erlanger - Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for Europe at the New York Times in Brussels.
May 9, 2023 | It's an important election that could change more than just the head of state. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hoping to extend his term after more than 20 years in power. But recent opinion polls suggest he's not the outright favourite. High inflation and a perceived slow response to devastating earthquakes have hit his popularity. Some voters are turning to a new candidate. So, what does that mean for Turkish politics - and the economy?
Presenter: Imran Khan
Guests: Onur Erim - President of Dragoman Strategies, a defence think tank and author of a book on Turkiye's election system
Robert Pearson - Turkish foreign policy specialist and former U.S. ambassador in Ankara
Sinan Ulgen - Chairman of the Center for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies and a former Turkish diplomat
Dec 17, 2022 | Since the jailing of Peru's former President Pedro Castillo more than a week ago, violence has spread across the country, with troops opening fire and killing demonstrators.
Two ministers have resigned, the government has declared a state of emergency, and curfews have been imposed in 15 regions. What does this crisis mean for Peru and other countries in Latin America - and how might it end?
Presenter: Hazem Sika
Paola Ugaz - investigative journalist in Lima.
Javier Farje - Peru analyst and historian in London.
Jo-Marie Burt - Associate Professor of Political Science/Latin American Studies, George Mason University, Washington DC
Mar 15, 2022 • Russia's invasion of Ukraine is intensifying, killing dozens of people and destroying homes and hospitals in residential areas of the capital Kyiv and other cities. Ukraine's president made another plea for NATO to impose a no-fly zone. But the western military alliance says that would escalate the war, and put its forces in direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia. So what are the options?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom
Guests:
Halyna Yanchenko - Member of Ukraine Parliament.
Robert Pszczel - Former NATO official and Senior Fellow, Casimir Pulaski Foundation.
Alexey Muraviev - Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies, Curtin University.
Feb 13, 2022 • The latest diplomatic attempt between the United States and Russia to resolve tensions over Ukraine has achieved nothing. Presidents Putin and Biden exchanged warnings and concerns over the phone, but little else, while military activity continues on both sides.
Moscow has been massing troops in Russia and Belarus near their borders with Ukraine. The build-up is raising fears an invasion is imminent.
Ukraine is receiving Western support. Its biggest ally, the US, is sending 200 million dollars’ worth of military aid, including armour-penetrating missiles and ammunition.
Why is the crisis over Ukraine proving so hard to solve?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan. Guests: Pavel Felgenhauer, Defence and Military Analyst, and a Columnist at Novaya Gazeta; Matthew Bryza, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a Former Diplomat and National Security Official at the White House; Glenn Diesen, Professor of International Relations at the University of South-Eastern Norway and Editor of 'Russia in Global Affairs'
Oct 14, 2021 • A supply chain crisis is threatening to derail the world's economic recovery from the pandemic. New smartphones, toys, clothes, and even Christmas turkeys are among many items failing to reach consumers.
Container ports in the US and Europe are working at full capacity. Manufacturing hubs in China have slowed down output because of power shortages and high commodity prices.
So, what are the solutions?
Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Jas Kalra - Assistant Professor in Supply Chain Management, Newcastle University Business School; Dan Wang - Chief Economist, Hang Seng Bank China; Stavros Karamperidis - Lecturer in Maritime Economics, University of Plymouth.
Aug 18, 2021 • Millions of Afghans who lived through the 1990s remember the Taliban's harsh rules and governing style. But the armed group says - it has changed. As it gets ready to lead the country once again. In its first news conference since taking Kabul on Sunday, the Taliban promised to protect women's rights, give amnesty to those who worked with foreigners and respect media freedoms.
Its leaders also said they will not let other groups use Afghanistan to launch attacks on any country. And they've called on women and other minorities to join their government. But many Afghans and world leaders are skeptical. So, has the Taliban changed its ways?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom. Guests: Fahim Sadat - Head of the International Relations Department at Kardan University; Michael Semple - Practitioner Chair at the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University Belfast; Omar Samad - a former Afghan Ambassador to France and Canada and a former Adviser to Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
Jul 27, 2021 • Tunisia is often called the only success story of the Arab Spring. But ten years on, its democracy is looking fragile. President Kais Saied has defended sacking the Prime Minister and suspending parliament, saying he acted lawfully under the constitution.
Tunisia's biggest political party, Ennahda, is calling for a national dialogue. While some celebrated the President's decisions, others are warning of a return to authoritarianism. So could Tunisia return to dictatorship?
Presenter: Bernard Smith | Guests: Tarek Kahloui - Political analyst; Sarah Yerkes - Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Salih Yasun - Fellow, Ostrom Workshop, Indiana University Bloomington.
July 16, 2021 – It's back to square one for Lebanon's deepening political crisis. The prime Minister-Designate has resigned again after failing to form a new government. And as Saad Hariri and President Michel Aoun trade blame, the country sinks deeper into economic turmoil.
The currency has lost 95 percent of its value since 2019, pushing many Lebanese into poverty. International donors are frustrated at the lack of progress on reforms. So is there a political will to end Lebanon's political deadlock?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom | Guests: Rana Khoury - Political Activist; Bachar El-Halabi - MENA Geopolitical Analyst, ClipperData; Christophe Abi-Nassif - Middle East Institute.
For the first time ever, America's oldest bank, BNY Mellon says it's planning to offer some cryptocurrency services.
That's good news for digital currencies like Bitocoin - which has been soaring to all time-highs.
While investing in it can be a rollercoaster ride that comes with many risks, that hasn't stopped the Chief Executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, from purchasing a $1.5 billion stake in it. Tesla is also now expected to accept the virtual money as a form of payment.
That and BNY Mellon's decision to allow cryptocurrencies in its services, has seen a boost for digital assets.
After one of the most bitterly contested and chaotic elections in American history, Joe Biden - the 46th president of the United States - began work in the Oval Office.
Within hours of being sworn in, Biden kicked off his term signing 17 executive orders to reverse some of Donald Trump's most contentious policies. They included repealing Trump's travel ban on some Muslim-majority countries, halting construction of the border wall with Mexico, and rejoining the Paris Climate Accord.
Can the new president repair fractured relations around the world?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom | Guests: Rina Shah, Founder of Republican Women for Biden; Nizar Messari, Associate professor of International Studies at Al Akhawayn University; Jill Cartwright, Writer and Georgia Organizer at Southerners on New Ground Power.
The French government is stepping up its crackdown on what it is calling religious separatism. 76 mosques face closure if they are found to be a security threat.
It is President Emmanuel Macron's latest response to recent attacks he has blamed on 'radical Islam'. His government denies it is deliberately targeting the Muslim community, but recent comments have triggered protests worldwide.
So how can this crisis be resolved?
Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Yasser Louati - Justice and Liberties For All Committee; Philippe Marliere - Professor of French and European Politics, University College of London; Nizar Messari - Associate Professor of International Studies, Al Akhawayn University
After days of uncertainty and a hard fought, bitter campaign, Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the US Presidential election. He says he wants to restore the soul of America and unite a deeply divided nation.
Biden received more votes than any other presidential candidate in history. But he's appealed to the tens of millions of Americans who did not vote for him - to give him a chance.
After his victory in Pennsylvania, Biden is projected to have a majority of the Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.<
