The Inside Story Podcast

Division at the COP30 climate change summit in Brazil - a more difficult message to tell to the world than progress. Scientists, politicians, media and business all have a huge role to play in keeping the public engaged. But are they succeeding?  In this episode:  Professor John Sweeney - one of Ireland's foremost climate scientists and contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Clima...

The Trump administration has crafted a controversial 28-point peace framework with Russia to end the Ukraine war. The plan demands some painful concessions: surrendering the Donbas region and slashing Ukraine's military by half to name just a few. So, is Washington negotiating Ukraine's future to favour Russia - just to promise a lasting peace? In this episode:  Alexander Bratersky - Politica...

Annual military spending is rising globally at its steepest level since the Cold War. And after a break of more than 30 years, the US says it might restart testing nuclear weapons. So if the global arms race is back on - who's winning and what's the true cost of escalation? In this episode:  Michael Boyle - Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University–Camden, and author of The D...

The World Food Programme is warning more than 300 million people face critical levels of hunger next year. The United Nations body says that's double the number compared to 2019. What's behind this worsening crisis that's putting so many people in danger?  In this episode:  Jean-Martin Bauer, Director, Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service, United Nations World Food Programme. Sha...

US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan wins UN Security Council backing. A mixed reaction from Palestinians: the Palestinian Authority welcomes the resolution, but Hamas rejects it along with plans for an international stabilisation force. So, what's next?  In this episode:  Rami Khouri, Distinguished Fellow, American University of Beirut. Ahmed Najar, Political Analyst and Writer.&...

Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for ordering the crackdown on last year's student-led uprising. 1,400 people were killed. But Hasina is in exile in India. So what are the chances she'll face justice back home? In this episode:  Sohela Nazneen, Professor, International Relations, University of Dhaka. Sreeradha Datta, Professor, OP Jindal Global Univ...

South Africa is investigating how 153 Palestinians from Gaza arrived without proper documentation. It's raised fears: Was the chartered flight organised by Israeli-backed human trafficking networks? And is this part of a wider strategy of ethnic cleansing? In this episode:  Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder and Chairman, Gift of the Givers. Ori Goldberg, Israeli Political Commentator. Willia...

It's one of the biggest betting scandals in sporting history. Turkish football is facing a gambling crackdown that's seen hundreds of players and officials suspended. It's shone a spotlight on a growing global gambling industry... and how it's affecting players, fans and the game itself. So - is sports betting out of control?  In this episode:  Ali Emre Dedeoglu - a sports commentator. T...

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is confronting his most serious political test since Russia’s invasion. Elected in 2019 on a promise to root out corruption, he now finds himself entangled in a $100 million scandal involving government officials, ministers and businessmen accused of arranging kickbacks through the state nuclear energy company. In a country at war, what does this...

Iran's capital is facing its worst drought in recorded history. The President warns the only option may be to evacuate Tehran. Some commentators call that idea 'a joke'. But water cuts have begun - and no rain is expected. How did things get this bad? And how many of the world's cities face a similar fate? In this episode:  Peter Newman - a Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University. Ma...

Ukraine's President says Moscow is testing Europe's red lines. Unidentified drones are being spotted at some of the busiest airports and military sites in the EU. That's as the bloc pours billions of dollars into its defences. So, are Europe and Russia close to a confrontation? And is either side ready for conflict? In this episode:  Stefan Wolff - Professor of International Security at...

A landmark meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House. The historic sit-down signals a major shift in US-Syria relations. So, how will it shape Trump’s legacy in the Middle East? And what impact could it have on the region? In this episode:  Haid Haid, Senior Non-Resident Fellow, Arab Reform Initiative Robert Ford, Former US Ambassador to Syria.&...

Leaders are in Brazil for this year’s climate summit to map a path to cutting emissions. But wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, are unleashing unprecedented levels of greenhouse gases and pollution. So why isn’t the environmental cost of war on the agenda? And is war now one of the biggest threats to the global climate? In this episode:  Kate Mackintosh, Deputy Chair,...

Al-Qaeda-linked fighters have blocked fuel deliveries to Mali’s capital for two months. They want to seize territory and drive out Western influence. But could their ultimate goal be to control the country? And what would that mean for the rest of the Sahel? In this episode:  Moussa Kondo, Executive Director, Sahel Institute. Oluwole Ojewale, Regional Coordinator, West and Cen...

The Israeli military is ramping up its attacks on Lebanon, violating a year-long ceasefire. It's carrying out similar breaches in Gaza and occupying Syrian territory. As the disarmament of Hezbollah makes little progress, is Israel inching towards another regional war?   In this episode:  Nabeel Khoury, Senior Non-Resident Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC. Heiko Wimmen, Projec...

US President Donald Trump meets with five Central Asian leaders, seeking deals on critical minerals, energy, and trade. But can Washington gain a foothold in a region long dominated by Russia — and where China’s influence is rapidly expanding? In this episode:  Zhumabek Sarabekov, Acting Director at the Institute of World Economics and Politics in Kazakhstan William Courtney, Seni...

Long queues at American airports. Thousands of unpaid federal workers surviving on food banks. The longest government shutdown in U.S. history has left millions without essential services. So, can both sides in Congress compromise and reopen the government?  In this episode:  Mark Pfeifle - Republican Strategist and Former White House Deputy National Security Advisor.&nbsp...

Russia and China pledge to strengthen their relations. President Xi Jinping has met the Russian Prime Minister and called for more cooperation, to deal with what he called a 'turbulent external environment'. Can the traditional allies weather the challenges posed by the US and other western nations? In this episode:  Richard Weitz, Senior Non-Resident Associate Fellow, NATO Defense College. E...

Hope for a humanitarian truce in Sudan. The parliamentary Rapid Support Forces and the Army agree in principle with the US plan to stop fighting. But with violence spreading beyond the North Darfur region, can Washington's proposal succeed?  In this episode:  Amjad Farid, Executive Director, Fikra for Studies and Development.  Mathilde Vu, Advocacy Manager for Sudan, Norwegian Refugee Co...

US president Donald Trump threatens Nigeria with military action claiming Christians are being persecuted. The government and Christian groups in the country deny this saying armed groups have killed people of all faiths. So what's behind Trump's claims? And what's the security situation?  In this episode:  Malik Samuel, Senior Researcher, Good Governance Africa in Abuja. ...

There's no sign of an end to the US government shutdown. 1.4 million workers are going without pay, while some people on federal aid are worrying how they'll get their next meal. How can the stand-off between Republicans and Democrats be resolved and what'll happen if it goes on?  In this episode:  Marena Lin, Co-founder, Project Restore Us. Niall Stanage, White House Columnist...

Tanzania's incumbent President has been declared re-elected with with 98% of the vote - in an election, denounced by the opposition as a sham... The government denies that hundreds of people have been killed in a police crackdown.  So, what's behind this crisis - and what's next? In this episode:  Tito Magoti - an independent human rights lawyer and activist who was jailed in Tanzania du...

China and the US ease their trade war...for now.  Concessions from both, with some of the most painful measures put on hold for a year. So, what tactics did each side use in the battle between the world's two biggest economies? And what's next?  In this episode:  Andy Mok - Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization think tank in Beijing.  Neil Thomas - Fe...

Reports of massacres by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces in Darfur - after the army was pushed out of the region. Tens of thousands of civilians are now feared trapped in el-Fasher. The conflict in Sudan has caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. So, what can be done to stop the bloodshed?  In this episode:  Hamid Khalafallah - Researcher and Policy Analyst who specialises in g...

Why is Donald Trump so interested in rare earth minerals? The US President has struck a number of deals in his tour of Asia this week while China keeps a tight grip on the metals. So, what can Trump do to break Beijing's monopoly? And why do rare earths matter so much? In this episode:  Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy, University of Hong Kong Gracelin Baskaran, Mining Economist...