9 Jan 2026 | There are yet more signs that the US is disengaging from the global order established after World War Two. President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to pull out of more than 60 agencies, half of them part of the United Nations. Trump argues that being a member of these organisations is contrary to his country's interests. The Secretary of State went as far as saying they're useless or wasteful. This move has prompted global outrage, with the UN saying its 'responsibility to deliver’ will not waver. So, where does this all leave the multilateral global order?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Adolfo Franco -- Republican strategist and former adviser to US Senator John McCain
Andrew Gilmour -- Former UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights
Matthew Duss -- Executive VP of the Center for International Policy and a former foreign policy adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders
Jan 6, 2026 | Venezuela's closest ally Cuba is on edge after the capture of president Nicolás Maduro and US politicians' warnings to Havana.
US president Donald Trump says Cuba is near collapse. So what are Washington's plans? And what's the thinking in Havana?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Liz Oliva Fernandez - independent Cuban journalist in Havana for US-based media outlet, Belly of the Beast.
John Suarez - Executive Director at the Center for a Free Cuba in Miami
Michael Shifter - senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue and an adjunct professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University in Washington DC
Jan 4, 2026 | The US capture of Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro has been sharply criticised by his allies - but not by Western nations, despite questions about its legality. So, does the operation signal a new aggressive US strategy - and what might the global impact be?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Charles Shapiro - a former US Ambassador to Venezuela under President George W. Bush.
Stefan Wolff - Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Ernesto Castaneda - Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at the American University in Washington DC.
Jan 3, 2026 | US special forces captured Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro in a daring attack that's taken the country and the world by surprise.
He'd denied accusations by President Donald Trump of heading a narcotics cartel. So, what are the implications of Washington's actions?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Phil Gunson - senior analyst for the Andes Project at the International Crisis Group.
Richard Weitz - U.S. security analyst, Senior Fellow at the NATO Defense College.
Temir Porras - former Foreign Policy Advisor to President Hugo Chavez and the former Chief of Staff for President Nicolas Maduro.
Jul 26, 2025 | France says it’s ready to recognise an independent Palestinian state. The announcement comes at a time of growing international outrage against Israel’s war on Gaza. Several European countries - including Spain, Ireland, and Norway - have already recognised Palestinian statehood. And pressure is mounting on the United Kingdom to do the same. But would any recognition lead to change on the ground? And how will France navigate any backlash from Israel and the US?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Jacques Reland - Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute
Ulrich Brueckner, a professor of political science at Stanford University in Berlin
Afif Safieh - Former Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and United States
Jul 21, 2025 | Protests against the UK ban on Palestine Action - and its designation as a terrorist goup. The government acted after military aircraft were vandalised at an airbase. Critics say the ban is excessive and an attack on freedom of speech. So what are the implications?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Tayab Ali, Deputy Managing Partner at Bindmans law firm, specialist in human rights and civil liberties.
Quinn McKew, Executive Director at Article 19, an organisation that defends freedom of expression and freedom of information.
Peter Oborne, Political Commentator and author of the forthcoming book 'Complicit: Britain's Role in the Destruction of Gaza'.
Feb 8, 2025 | The executive orders are still coming thick and fast. The latest? Sanctions on the International Criminal Court. President Donald Trump says the ICC abuses its power, taking 'illegitimate and baseless' actions against the US and its ally, Israel. He also says its investigators are a threat to national security. So, how will this affect the only court with the ability to prosecute genocide and war crimes? And is the very concept of a rules-based international order under threat?
Presenter: Maleen Saeed
Guests: William Pace, former Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
Kenneth Roth, Visiting Professor at Princeton School for Public and International Affairs and the former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch.
David L Phillips, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and a former senior adviser to the U.S. State Department.
Feb 4, 2025 | US President Donald Trump's tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico are on hold for a month. But US levies on Chinese products have gone into effect - and Beijing has hit back with duties of its own. It accuses Washington of unilateralism and has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization. President Trump says America has been ripped off by 'every country in the world'. So, are tariffs the answer? And at what cost?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Dmitry Grozoubinski -- Director of ExplainTrade - a trade policy and negotiations consultancy
Greg Swenson -- Founding Partner of the investment banking firm, Brigg Macadam
Gavin Fridell -- Professor of Political Science and Global Development Studies at Saint Mary's University in Canada
Feb 1, 2025 | For decades, the United States has been the largest single donor of aid globally. Last year it provided more than 40 percent of the UN's humanitarian aid budget. But now most foreign assistance through the state department has been frozen for 90 days, with only emergency food programmes and military aid to Israel and Egypt exempted. The aid supports initiatives ranging from health and education to security and conflict. So what could be the effects of America's freeze on aid, both for itself, and other nations? And how will it reshape Washington's relations with the world?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan
Guests:
Dave Harden - Former assistant administrator for the USAID Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance.
Salai Za Uk Ling - Director of Chin Human Rights Organization, an NGO based in Myanmar.
Abdullahi Boru Halakhe - Horn of Africa security analyst and senior advocate at Refugees International.
Jan 12, 2025 | The AfD has become a major player in German politics in just 12 years. The far-right party has won over voters with its extreme views, from immigration to energy. It's candidate for Chancellor is promising mass deportations of immigrants.
Can Alice Wiedel help her party win more power in a general election next month?
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests: Olaf Boehnke, Director and Senior Advisor, Alliance of Democracies Foundation
Jessica Berlin, Non-resident fellow, Center for European Analysis
Ulrich Brueckner, Professor of European Studies, Stanford University in Berlin
Elon Musk is very unwise to foster the growth of the AfD. Has Musk no understanding of Germany’s recent history? Hitler casts a very long shadow over Germany, Europe, and the world. Hitler died, but his ghost lives on.
Is Elon Musk unfamiliar with Björn Höcke, who is a very prominent figure and who is the leader of the AfD in Thuringia?
Elon Musk is either ignorant (which I very much doubt) or is trying to shore up trouble. Whichever it is, it is bad news for Germany and bad news for Europe.
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
