The Inside Story Podcast

Are countries prepared to cope with extreme weather? 14.07.2026 24min

Extreme weather is causing havoc across much of the world, from record-breaking heatwaves to drought, storms and floods. Scientists warn it's the new normal and that the consequences of climate change are likely to get even worse. So, how will governments cope? In this episode:  Daniel Gilford, Climate Scientist at Climate Central  Alexandre Borde, Environmental economist and CEO of Cibola Partners  Benjamin Horton, Dean of the School of Energy and Environment and Professor of Earth Science, City University of Hong Kong Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How is the US tech industry regulated? 13.07.2026 24min

Apple is taking OpenAI to court. The tech giant is suing the artificial intelligence company, accusing it of stealing trade secrets. With the AI race in overdrive, firms are competing to release the latest products. But how's that competition being regulated? In this episode: R 'Ray' Wang - CEO and principal analyst of Constellation Research Nick Akerman - New York attorney and former assistant special Watergate prosecutor  Toby Walsh - Chief Scientist, AI Institute at the University of New South Wales Sydney Host: Anna Burns-Francis Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

What legacy did Qatar's former Emir leave behind? 12.07.2026 25min

He's the man behind Qatar's rise on the international stage. Former Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani has died. He'll be remembered as the architect of modern Qatar. What lessons will be learned from his legacy? In this episode:  Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, Former Economic Advisor, Office of the Emir of Qatar. Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor, School of Security Studies, King's College London. Patrick Theros, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Gulf International Forum.  Host: Scott McLean Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Why is Pakistan deporting thousands of Afghan migrants? 11.07.2026 24min

Pakistan carries out another wave of deportations of thousands of Afghan migrants and refugees.It cites national security concerns. But is politics involved in the rising tension between the neighbours? And how is Kabul dealing with the influx of returnees? In this episode:  Arafat Jamal - Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Afghanistan  Obaidullah Baheer - Adjunct lecturer at the American University of Afghanistan Kamran Bokhari - Senior Fellow with the Middle East Policy Council in Washington DC Zahid Mahmood - Pakistani defence analyst and former senior officer of the Pakistan Army Host: Scott McLean Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Will NATO member states get involved in securing the Strait of Hormuz? 07.07.2026 25min

This year's NATO summit in Turkiye is overshadowed by the Iran war. The U.S. wants allies to help it protect shipping in the vital waterway, but what are the risks? In this episode:  David Des Roches, Professor at Thayer Marshall Institute and former NATO Operations Director  Alam Saleh, Senior Lecturer of Iranian Studies at Australian National University Patrick Bury, Defense and Security Specialist at University of Bath and a former NATO analyst Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How will Mali's junta respond to growing rebel attacks? 06.07.2026 25min

Mounting violence in Mali. A coalition of rebels and armed groups has carried out another series of assaults, highlighting the military government's failure to contain the attacks. With the junta under increasing pressure, how will it address this growing security threat? In this episode:  Kabir Adamu, Managing Director, Beacon Security and Intelligence Nadina Ronc, independent geopolitical and security analyst Bram Posthumus, political and economic analyst  Host: Scott McLean Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

What are the implications of right-wing populism across Latin America? 05.07.2026 25min

Promising to crack down on crime and promoting strong ties with President Trump - right-wing populists are winning elections across Latin America. Is this a passing phase coming out of voters' economic and safety concerns or a lasting shift? And will this tie the region more to the United States? In this episode:  Jose Ragas, Historian and Assistant Professor, Catholic University of Chile.  Oliver Stuenkel, Associate Professor, School of International Relations, Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil.  Javier Farje, Journalist and Historian. Host: Scott McLean Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How did Ukrainian strikes cause a fuel crisis in Russia? 04.07.2026 25min

Long lines at petrol stations in one of the world's largest energy producers. Relentless Ukrainian strikes have caused a fuel crisis in Russia. Will economic pressure turn into a political problem for President Vladimir Putin - and move the Kremlin towards talks with Kyiv? In this episode:  Alexander Bratersky - Political Analyst and an Independent Journalist.  Oleksiy Goncharenko - Ukrainian Member of Parliament.  Theresa Fallon - Director of the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies.  Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Is China's new ethnic unity law a step towards forced assimilation? 03.07.2026 24min

China's new ethnic unity law has come into effect. Rights groups and activists overseas say it will further shrink the rights of minorities. Will the law help forge a shared national identity, as Beijing says? Or is it a step towards forced assimilation? In this episode:  Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation Zumretay Arkin, Vice President, World Uyghur Congress William Yang, Senior Analyst for Northeast Asia, International Crisis Group  Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Could water become a flashpoint between Islamabad and New Delhi? 02.07.2026 25min

Pakistan has said India's suspension of a decades-old treaty could amount to an act of war. And tensions between the two are already high. So, how could they avoid a further escalation? In this episode:  Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of the independent investigative news organisation, The Wire Michael Kugelman, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council Zeeshan Salahuddin, Advisory Director at Tabadlab, a think-tank and consultancy on geopolitics Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Why are Sudan's Rapid Support Forces battling for control of el-Obeid? 02.07.2026 23min

The Rapid Support Forces are trying to seize the strategic southern city of el-Obeid from the Sudanese military. Rights groups are warning of a potential humanitarian catastrophe. But why is the battle to control the city so important? In this episode:  Ali Mahmoud Ali, Sudan Researcher with the Armed Conflict, Location & Event Data project Kholood Khair, Founding Director of Confluence Advisory, a think tank founded in Khartoum with a focus on Sudan Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health Host: Mohammed Jamjoum Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How is South Africa dealing with immigration? 30.06.2026 24min

A June 30th deadline set by anti-migrant groups for undocumented foreigners to leave, has come and gone. Thousands protested across the country, against what they say is a broken immigration system. So, what's driving this debate? And what are the political, economic and diplomatic costs? In this episode:  William Gumede, Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand Nomvula Mokonyane, First Deputy Secretary General of South Africa's governing ANC party Richard Pithouse, Distinguished Research Fellow at The Global Centre for Advanced Studies Host: Imran Khan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How far will Iraq's new government go to crack down on corruption? 29.06.2026 23min

Several senior politicians have been detained in a wave of arrests. The government says it's just the beginning. But is this about graft, or is politics involved? In this episode: Ahmed Rushdi, President of the think-tank, House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation Renad Mansour, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House Manuel Pirino, Regional Advisor for Middle East and North Africa at Transparency International Host: Imran Khan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Can the International Court of Justice help end the conflict in eastern DRC? 28.06.2026 25min

The Democratic Republic of Congo takes Rwanda to the International Court of Justice. Kinshasa seeks to hold Kigali responsible for the war in the eastern DRC. But can international law help end one of Africa's longest running conflicts? In this episode:  Demas Kiprono, Executive Director at the International Commission of Jurists, Kenya. Kambale Musavuli, Analyst at the Center for Research on the Congo-Kinshasa. Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics at SOAS University of London. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Why is Crimea so critical to the Russia-Ukraine conflict? 27.06.2026 24min

Crimea under a state of emergency. The move comes as Ukraine intensifies attacks on the Russian-controlled region. Kyiv says its aim is to press Moscow to end the war. But is that realistic? And why is Crimea so critical to the wider conflict? In this episode:  Leonid Ragozin, independent journalist who focuses on Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Yulia Kazdobina, Senior Fellow in the Security Studies Program at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council. Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham. Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

How much disaster aid will the US provide to Venezuela? 26.06.2026 23min

Death and destruction after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. The disaster comes just months after U.S. forces abducted the former president. So, how may that impact the flow of aid from Washington? And what kind of politics are at play? In this episode:  Jan Eagland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council Chris Gilbert, Professor at the Bolivarian University of Venezuela Michael Shifter, Adjunct Professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University Paul Dobson, political analyst and independent journalist Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Has Marco Rubio's tour of the Gulf reassured US allies? 26.06.2026 24min

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has wrapped up his three-day tour of the Gulf. Regional states want a greater say in security--after coming under attack during the Iran war. So, can Washington rebuild trust with its regional allies? And will Gulf states be able to steer the future of the Strait of Hormuz? In this episode:  Abdulla Banndar Al Etaibi, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Qatar University Gordon Gray, Former U.S. Ambassador and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Sina Toossi, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy, focusing on U.S.-Iran relations  Host: James Bays Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Why does Israel want to be less dependent on US weapons? 24.06.2026 25min

Benjamin Netanyahu says he's grateful to the US for its military aid but that it's time for Israel to build its own weapons-production capacity. The Israeli prime minister's announcement comes as tensions grow over the US agreement with Iran. But demand soars for Israel's weapons — its arms exports hit a record $19 billion last year. Supporters say that it strengthens Israel's ability to stand on its own. Can Israel afford to lose its greatest ally? In this episode:  Alexandre Vautravers, Security and defence policy specialist Michael Mulroy, Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Antony Loewenstein, Author of 'The Palestine Laboratory'  Host: Folly Bah Thibault Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Why do the UK's prime ministers keep resigning? 23.06.2026 25min

Keir Starmer is the latest to step down, after nearly two years in office. He'd been expected to put an end to the political chaos. So, what went wrong? And what does it mean for the future of the UK? In this episode:  Jennifer Nadel, Co-Founder of the cross-party think tank Compassion in Politics. Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London. Zaid M Belbagi, Managing Partner at Hardcastle Advisory. Host: Imran Khan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Can the US and Iran turn the ceasefire into a permanent peace? 22.06.2026 24min

The US and Iran have finished the first round of talks with an agreement on a roadmap to a final deal. But is there enough trust to end the conflict? In this episode:  Mohammad Eslami - Research Fellow at Tehran University.  Kenneth Katzman - Senior Fellow at The Soufan Center.  Zeidon Alkinani - Founding Director at the Arab Perspectives Institute.  Host: Anna Burns-Francis  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube