The Inside Story Podcast

What purpose does the massive U.S. military presence in the Gulf serve? Washington argues it maintains stability and security in this region. But with the escalating tensions in the region, will it protect America's allies and interests? In this episode:  Rashid Al-Mohanadi, Vice President of Center for International Policy Research Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor in the School of Security Studies at King's College London Kenneth Katzman, Senior Fellow at The Soufan Center Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

International alarm after the Trump administration announces the first-ever criminal investigation into the head of the US Federal Reserve. Jerome Powell says the probe is politically-motivated. So why is this case causing so much concern worldwide?  In this episode:  Eric Ham, political analyst and former U.S. Congressional staffer in Washington DC Justin Urquhart-Stewart, investment manager and co-founder of Regionally, an online investment service in London David McWilliams, economist, author and podcast host in Dublin Host: Adrian Finighan  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Uganda holds elections on Thursday, with President Yoweri Museveni hoping to extend his four decades in power. Supporters of his main opponent, musician Bobi Wine, allege harassment and intimidation. So what's at stake for one the world's youngest populations?  In this episode:  Robert Kabushenga, Host of The Bad Natives Podcast Alex Vines, Africa Programme Director at the European Council on Foreign Relations Joseph Ochieno, Commentator on African affairs Host: Adrian Finighan  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

US President Donald Trump has said repeatedly he wants to take over Greenland — an idea rejected by most people living there. There's alarm in Denmark, which owns the world's biggest island, and in the EU and NATO too. So, could Trump really get his way?  In this episode: Pele Broberg, Chairman of Naleraq, a pro-independence political party in Greenland Peter Nielsen, retired Colonel in the Danish Armed Forces who specialises in NATO readiness Greg Swenson, Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK Host: Imran Khan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Widespread unrest, killings and arrests in Iran during protests sparked by a collapse in the local currency. The leadership says it will listen to demonstrators but rioters face the death penalty. As the US warns against a crackdown, how volatile is the situation?  In this episode:  Mehran Kamrava, Head, Iranian Studies, Arab Center for Policy Studies and Research. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Professor, Modern Middle East Politics, University of Cambridge. Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

What are Saudi Arabia's plans in southern Yemen? Riyadh says it will soon host a dialogue between the main players. It comes after the Southern Transitional Council issued a statement saying it had disbanded. But will the new realities on the ground serve long-term Saudi goals in Yemen? In this episode:  Khaled Batarfi, Political analyst Farea Al Muslimi, Research Fellow at Chatham House's MENA Programme Matthew Bryza, Adviser to the Southern Transitional Council and a former U.S. ambassador Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

What is the impact of the US withdrawal from dozens of United Nations and international agencies? Washington says the organisations threaten its sovereignty. But the UN says the US has a legal obligation to fund them. So, where does this all leave the multilateral global order? In this episode:  Adolfo Franco, Republican strategist and former adviser to U.S. 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 Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Renewed clashes in the Syrian city of Aleppo between the army and Kurdish fighters are undermining efforts to achieve national unity. The violence erupted after a failure to implement a deal on incorporating fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces into the army. Can tension be contained this time? In this episode: Labib Nahhas, Syria analyst Omer Ozkizilcik, Nonresident fellow for the Syria Project in the Atlantic Council's Middle East Program Rob Geist Pinfold, Lecturer in International Security at King's College London Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

The so-called Coalition of the Willing says it is going to provide Ukraine with robust security guarantees if a peace deal is agreed with Russia. The UK and France pledged boots on the ground once the agreement takes effect.  But is that enough? And would Russia accept foreign troops in Ukraine? In this episode:  Oleksiy Goncharenko, politician and member of the Ukrainian parliament Marina Miron, military analyst and researcher at King's College London Pavel Felgenhauer, defence and Russian foreign policy analyst Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  

Venezuela's closest ally, Cuba, is on edge after the capture of president Nicolas 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?  In this episode:  Liz Oliva Fernandez, independent Cuban journalist John Suarez, Executive Director, the Center for a Free Cuba Michael Shifter, senior fellow, Inter-American Dialogue and adjunct professor, Georgetown University Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The capture of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro by the US came despite his country's long-standing alliance with both China and Russia. Both have criticised the US attack but have taken no action. What are the implications for Russia and China?  In this episode:  Andrey Kortunov, former Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council  Chris Weafer, Chief Executive Officer of Macro-Advisory Shaun Rein, Founder & Managing Director of the China Market Research Group in Shanghai and author of The Split Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The US capture of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro has been sharply criticised by his allies, but not by Western nations despite questions about its legality. So, does the attack on Venezuela signal a new aggressive US strategy? What might be its global impact? In this episode:  Charles Shapiro, Former US Ambassador to Venezuela under President George W. Bush.  Stefan Wolff, Professor, International Security, University of Birmingham, UK.  Ernesto Castaneda, Director, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, American University in Washington DC.  Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

US special forces capture Venezuela's president Nicolas 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?  In this episode:  Phil Gunson - senior analyst for the Andes Project at the International Crisis Group.  Richard Weitz - a U.S. security analyst and 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.  Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

How fragile is the US healthcare system? Millions of Americans face a sharp increase in their insurance premiums. That's after Congress failed to renew subsidies provided by Obamacare. So, what's the impact for those in need? And how much politics is involved? In this episode:  Lindsay Allen - Health Economist and Policy Researcher at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Neel Shah - Physician and Chief Medical Officer of Maven Clinic as well as Founder of the Costs of Care non-profit organisation. Rinah Shah - Political Strategist and Geopolitical analyst. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Angry protests across Iran as the country faces economic turmoil. The president is calling on the government to hear the protesters' demands. But who's to blame for Iran's deep economic crisis? And how far will the demonstrations go? In this episode:  Ali Akbar Dareini - Researcher at Center for Strategic Studies. Marzie Khalilian - Political Analyst and Academic Researcher. Stephen Zunes - Professor of Politics and Founding Chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

From close allies to rivals. The United Arab Emirates says it's pulling its troops out of Yemen. That's after an ultimatum by the Saudi-backed presidential council of Yemen. After a decade of alliance, what's triggered this rupture? And where does it leave its plans in war-torn Yemen? In this episode:  Abdul-aziz Al Ghashian, Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Gulf International Forum. Alkharder Sulaiman, the Southern Transitional Council Foreign Affairs Community Liason. Andreas Krieg, Associate professor at the School of Security Studies King's College London. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Tension is running high between China and Taiwan. Beijing is carrying out its biggest-ever military drills off the island, saying they're a warning to what it calls separatist forces. So what's behind this show of power? And would China use force against Taiwan? In this episode:  Shaun Rein, Founder & Managing Director of China Market Research Group. Chen Shen Yen, Research Fellow Institute of International Relations. Ja Ian Chong, Associate Professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.  Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Renewed sectarian anger grips parts of Syria. Alawite protesters confront government supporters and masked men attack security forces. Alawites say they're being marginalised. How serious is this latest threat to President al-Sharaa's effort to unify the country? In this episode:  Fadel Abdulghany, Founder & Executive Director, Syrian Network for Human Rights. Gamal Mansour, Specialist, Comparative Politics and International Relations. Labib Nahhas, Director, Syrian Association for Citizens' Dignity.  Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Israel has become the first country to recognise Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia. That's angered Mogadishu, as well as African and Arab states. Why are they upset? And how will it affect politics in the region? In this episode:  Adam Matan, Independent Horn of Africa Consultant. Alon Pinkas, Former Ambassador and Consul General of Israel in New York. Xavier Abu Eid, Political Scientist.  Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The US President says they are against ISIL, claiming it targets Christians in the country.But are his allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria justified?And could his administration have other motives? In this episode:  Malik Samuel, Senior Researcher at Good Governance Africa. Ebenezer Obadare, Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. David Otto, Deputy Director of Counterterrorism Training at the International Academy for the Fight Against Terrorism. Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

UN experts say the group remains a major threat to stability in Somalia and neighbouring countries. And it is still able to carry out attacks repeatedly. So what does it mean for security in this part of Africa? In this episode:  Ismael Tahir, Research Fellow at Hilin, an organisation committed to development, governance and politics in the Somali Peninsula.  Afyare Elmi, Research Professor at City University of Mogadishu. Abdullahi Halakhe, Horn of Africa Security Analyst.  Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Israel is escalating the confiscation of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and approving new illegal settlements at an unprecedented scale. Its actions have drawn condemnation. But what are the consequences on the ground? And how does this hinder prospects for peace? In this episode:  Xavier Abu Eid - Political analyst and former adviser to the P-L-O negotiation team Daniel Levy - President of the U.S. / Middle East Project and a former Israeli negotiator Yariv Oppenheimer - Israeli human rights activist and board member of Peace Now movement Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

After another year of fighting, is peace on the horizon for Sudan in 2026? Khartoum has come up with a plan to end the conflict, but the UN warns the violence is worsening. Where does this leave the country's future and the millions affected by the fighting? In this episode:  Ahmad Ibrahim, Independent Sudan Analyst. Cameron Hudson, Former Director, African Affairs, US National Security Council. Khalid Medani, Chairperson, African Studies Program, Canada's McGill University. Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

How will the Syrian government deal with its growing security challenges? Renewed fighting between the army and Syrian Democratic Forces is highlighting the volatility facing the country. A truce is now in place, but will it lead to an agreement to integrate the SDF militia into the army? In this episode:  Haid Haid, Researcher, Chatham House. Steven Heydemann, Professor and Middle East Studies Program Director, Smith College. Omer Ozkizilcik, Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project, Atlantic Council's Middle East Program. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

In the ongoing fighting between Thailand and Cambodia - does diplomacy stand a chance? The two sides have held their first face-to-face meeting in a regional push for peace. But without any let-up in the long-running conflict, what will it take to bring it to an end? In this episode:  Chheang Vannarith, Chairman, Angkor Social Innovation Park.  Ilango Karuppannan, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Nanyang Technological University.  Phil Robertson, Director, Asia Human Rights Labour Advocates. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Political tension and unrest in Bangladesh after the assassination of a student leader of last year's uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina. Elections for a new government are due in February. So how volatile is the political situation now?  In this episode:  Taqbir Huda, Human Rights Lawyer.  Asif Shahan, Professor, Development Studies, University of Dhaka. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Dialogue in Bangladesh. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

European farmers protest against the EU-Mercosur agreement. That's as signing has been postponed until January, due to disagreements in Europe. The European-South American deal planned for more than 25 years, would create the world's largest free-trade zone. So why is there division?  In this episode:  Pieter Cleppe - Editor-in-Chief at BrusselsReport-dot-eu Ciaran Mullooly - Member of the European Parliament for Independent Ireland  Gustavo Ribeiro - founder and Editor-In-Chief of the Brazilian Report online newspaper Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Daily Israeli breaches of the Gaza ceasefire agreement threaten the entire peace process, says the Qatari prime minister, who helped broker the deal forged by Donald Trump. So, what's gone wrong -- and what might the US president do to get it back on track?  In this episode:  Tamer Qarmout - Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies Daniel Levy - President of the U.S. / Middle East Project and a former Israeli negotiator Rami Khouri - Distinguished Fellow at the American University of Beirut Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Russia and China voice support for Venezuela after Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Nicolas Maduro. The US blockades sanctioned oil tankers in the midst of a major military build-up in the region. What are the dangers - and what might happen next?  In this episode:  Paul Dobson - Independent journalist and political analyst in Venezuela  Elias Ferrer - Founder of Orinoco Research, a consulting company based in Caracas Temir Temir Porras - Former foreign policy adviser to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Venezuelan deputy foreign minister  Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Millions of people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity, the UN warns. The crisis is exacerbated by sharp cuts in global aid funding and the forced deportation of Afghans from neighbouring countries. So, who could step in to avert a catastrophic hunger crisis? In this episode:  Kiana Alavi, Norwegian Refugee Council's advocacy manager in Afghanistan Zeeshan Salahuddin, Director Advisory of the Centre for Regional and Global Connectivity at Tabadlab Obaidullah Baheer, Adjunct Lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan Host: Tom McRae Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Chileans have elected their most conservative leader in decades. Jose Antonio Kast's victory is another sign South America is veering to the right. But what's behind this shift? And what are the political implications, both across the region and beyond? In this episode:  Claudio Barrientos, Professor, School of History, Diego Portales University. Jose Ragas, Historian and Assistant Professor, Catholic University of Chile. Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow, Latin America, Chatham House. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

How will the US respond to the killing of three of its soldiers in Syria? Washington blames the Islamic State for the attack and vows retaliation. So, does that mean direct military involvement? And if so, what role would the new Syrian government play? In this episode:  Colin Clarke, Executive Director, The Soufan Center. Dareen Khalifa, Senior Adviser, International Crisis Group. Orwa Ajjoub, Syria Expert and PHD Candidate, Global Politics. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

US president Donald Trump eases sanctions on Belarus after it frees more than 100 political prisoners. Stiff European sanctions remain in place against the close Russian ally. So, why's the deal been struck now, and what's the reaction in Russia, Ukraine and the EU?  In this episode:  Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus Opposition Leader. Franak Viacorka, Non-resident fellow, Atlantic Council Mark Episkopos, Research Fellow, Quincy Institute’s Eurasia Program. Andrey Kortunov, Russian Foreign Affairs Analyst. Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The US and UN warn violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo could escalate into a regional conflict. Hundreds of people killed as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seize another city, just over a week after the US brokered a peace deal. How dangerous is the situation?  In this episode:  Kambale Musavuli - Analyst at the Center for Research on the Congo- Kinshasa Richard Moncrieff - Project Director for the Great Lakes region at the International Crisis Group Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Twenty-seven European nations which are signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights want the treaty changed to restrict migration. Opponents say altering it will weaken fundamental human rights protections in place for more than 70 years. So what are the arguments?  In this episode:  Michael O'Flaherty - Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights and former director of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency.  Jennifer Nader - co-founder of the Compassion in Politics think-tank in London.  Michael McDowell - Senator in Ireland's parliament and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice. Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

European leaders have sent new peace proposals for the war in Ukraine to US President Donald Trump. Loss of territory to Russia and use of frozen Russian assets in Ukraine remain areas of disagreement. But could the war be nearing an end? In this episode:  Peter Zalmayev - Director of Eurasia Democracy Initiative Chris Weafer - CEO of Macro-Advisory, a strategic consultancy focused on Russia and Eurasia Steven Erlanger - Chief Diplomatic Correspondent for Europe at The New York Times  Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Australia has become the first country in the world to ban social media use for children younger than 16. The move has divided public opinion there, but other countries are considering restrictions too. What are the arguments for and against? Will the ban work?   In this episode:  Charlotte Armitage, Psychologist, author of ‘Generation Zombie’ Kate Sim, Program Director of Children's Online Safety and Privacy Research at the University of Western Australia Adrian Monck, Author of 'Can You Trust the Media?' and a senior adviser on artificial intelligence and technology Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Tanzania's government is under pressure. Opposition activists are angry about an election that they say was a sham and had called for protests to coincide with Independence Day. The US says it's reconsidering its relationship with the country for the crackdown that followed October's disputed vote. So, what does it all mean for Tanzania's future? In this episode:  Palamagamba Kabudi, Tanzanian Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports. Dorothy Semu, ACT-Wazelenko Opposition Party Leader. Oryem Nyeko, Senior Researcher, Africa Division, Human Rights Watch.  Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Nearly two thousand dead and hundreds missing in one of the worst storm seasons in Southeast Asia's recorded history. Cyclones, typhoons and back-to-back tropical storms are causing floods and landslides so large that some areas may never recover. So how can countries continue to face this escalating threat? And can they afford to keep rebuilding? In this episode:  Alexandre Borde, Environmental Economist and CEO, Cibola Partners.  Sehr Raheja, Programme Officer, Climate Change Programme, Centre for Science and Environment.  Benjamin Horton, Professor, Earth Science, City University of Hong Kong.  Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Hope, promise and enormous challenges. It's been one year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and even while it celebrates, the country is also confronting the problems of a transitional state. So what kind of Syria is the new government building? In this episode:  Haid Haid, Researcher, Chatham House. Ammar Kahf, Executive Director, Omran Center for Strategic Studies. Heiko Wimmen, Project Director for Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, International Crisis Group. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

From limo diplomacy to a ceremonial guard - Vladimir Putin got a red-carpet welcome in India this week.He was there to talk trade ties and energy supply with Narendra Modi. But as New Delhi tries to walk a tightrope between Moscow and Washington - who stands to benefit the most, and what's at stake? In this episode:  Brahma Chellaney - Professor of Strategic Studies at the Center for Policy Research.  Thomas Pickering - former diplomat and U.S. Ambassador to India and Russia. Aleksei Zakharov - fellow at Observer Research Foundation focusing on Russia's foreign policy towards South Asia and its relations with India. Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Surrounded by his cabinet, US President Donald Trump described Somalis living in America as 'garbage'. The comments have been widely condemned, but not by his supporters. What are the implications - not just in the US but elsewhere?  In this episode:  Samakab Hussein - Somali-American and Minnesota State House Representative Joi Chaney - Lawyer and Democratic political strategist Eric Ham - Political analyst and former U.S. Congressional staffer Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

France's President Emmanuel Macron visits China for a three-day state visit - at a tricky time in relations. Under discussion - trade and the Ukraine war - with big differences between the two. What are the divisions - and what's at stake? In this episode:  Andy Mok - Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization Rémi Bourgeot - Associate Research Fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs Ben Aris - Founder and editor-in-chief of bne IntelliNews Host: Tom McRae Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

India is rolling out a set of simplified labour codes to modernise outdated laws. Unions describe the changes as sweeping and aggressive. So, who stands to benefit -- workers seeking job security and fair wages? Or employers looking for flexibility and lower staffing costs? In this episode:  Harshil Sharma - Labour economist who specialises in reforms and welfare  Surbhi Kesar - Senior Lecturer in Economics at SOAS University of London Sudip Dutta - National Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

African leaders want colonial-era abuses recognised and criminalised. Algeria says a legal framework would ensure reparations are neither a gift nor a favour. So, how could former colonial powers be held accountable? And can the cost of those atrocities be measured? In this episode:  Abdelkader Abderrahmane, Independent Researcher.  Liliane Umubyeyi, Co-Founder, African Futures Lab. Nicolas Normand, Former French Ambassador to Mali, the Republic of Congo/Congo-Brazzaville and Senegal.  Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked for a presidential pardon to end his criminal prosecution. He says it will unite the public but critics say he's driving further division. So, what are the long-term implications for Israel?  In this episode:  Dan Perry, Political Analyst.  Neve Gordon, Professor, Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, Queen Mary University of London. Mitchell Barak, Former Aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Venezuela accuses Washington of colonialism after President Donald Trump said he's shutting down its airspace. The country's on high alert after US attacks on boats nearby and a huge military and naval build-up. Trump says he's fighting drug trafficking. But is that the real reason?  In this episode:  Mark Pfeifle, US Republican Strategist.  Paul Dobson, Independent Journalist.  Christopher Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow, Latin America, Chatham House. Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

A corruption scandal in Ukraine claims its biggest scalp yet - with the resignation of President Volodomy Zelenskyy's top aide. Andriy Yermak had been due to lead key talks with the U.S. on the war with Russia this weekend. So what does this mean for Ukraine?  In this episode:  Olena Tregub - Secretary General of Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission. Leonid Ragozin - Independent journalist and political analyst, specialist on Ukrainian. Donnacha Ó Beacháin - Professor of Politics at Dublin City University. Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

France is to bring back a form of military service. That comes weeks after Germany announced plans to assess young people's suitability for military duty.  Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced European states to examine their readiness. So could conscription return? In this episode:  Jacques Reland - Senior Research Fellow in European Affairs, focusing on French politics, European defence and wider EU institutions. Paul Beaver - former soldier and defence analyst with experience assessing trends in European armed forces and recruitment.  Peter Nielsen - former Commander of NATO’s Force Integration Unit in Lithuania Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The military seizes power in Guinea-Bissau - a day before Sunday's presidential election results were due to be announced. The African Union and West African regional bloc Ecowas have condemned the coup. Why has it happened - and what are the implications?  In this episode:  Kabir Adamu - Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Bram Posthumus - Political and economic analyst specialising in West Africa and the Sahel region Ovigwe Eguegu - Peace and Security Policy Analyst at the consultancy Development Reimagined Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook