Independent Thinking

Venezuelans are protesting against Nicolás Maduro’s claim to have won the presidential election. Bronwen Maddox is joined from Caracas by journalist turned opposition politician Paola Bautista de Aleman and the FT’s Latin America editor Michael Stott. With them is Chris Sabatini, our Senior Research Fellow for Latin America. Read our latest: Venezuela’s stolen election encourages the world’s autocracies Israel’s strikes in Iran and Lebanon don’t hurt Hamas and Hezbollah much Does President Ruto have the means to appease Kenya’s protestors? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

Democratic big hitters have coalesced around Kamala Harris as the Party’s new nominee, but what do we know about her world view, especially on Gaza, and the place of US leadership in the world? Bronwen Maddox is joined by chief correspondent at the Washington Post, Dan Balz, political scientist Dan Drezner, and the Director of our US and Americas Programme, Leslie Vinjamuri, to discuss what a Trump-Harris race will look like, and how the winner might approach America’s global role. Read our latest: Kamala Harris would bring greater foreign policy experience than most new US presidents Biden’s decision to withdraw is an act of true leadership. It is also his best chance at ensuring his legacy Netanyahu’s speech sought bipartisan support by invoking the threat of Iran Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by Ruth Gold. Take part in The World Today's Reader Survey✏️ Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧  Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.

The Republican National Convention is underway in Wisconsin just days after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalists Edward Luce and David E Sanger to discuss the selection of J. D. Vance as Trump's running mate and what this means for America's future foreign policy. Joining them is Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of our US and Americas Programme. Read our latest: Three key issues require progress as the UK hosts European leaders for the EPC summit The new government must work hard to restore the UK’s reputation as a champion of international law The illusion of legitimacy: unveiling Syria’s sham elections Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock.  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧   Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧  Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe. 

NATO’s Washington summit takes place amid growing uncertainty about US leadership, and some of Russia’s heaviest missile attacks on Ukraine since the start of the war. Bronwen Maddox is joined by two former US ambassadors to NATO, Kurt Volker and Ivo Daalder, to discuss the challenges facing the alliance. With them is The Telegraph’s Roland Oliphant and Chatham House’s Armida van Rij. Read our latest: As NATO leaders gather, Putin has been making peace proposals – why? Orbán is using Hungary’s EU Council presidency to bulldoze EU norms China’s third plenum marks a sea change in growth model Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock.  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧   Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧  Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe. 

In this recording of a Chatham House event, Bronwen Maddox is joined by an expert panel on the morning of Labour’s landslide win in the UK general election. Will Hutton, Anne McElvoy, James Heappey and Olivia O’Sullivan discuss the Conservatives' collapse, the new prime minister and his likely cabinet, and what the result means for the UK and its place in the world.  Read our latest: Can Labour improve Britain’s place in the world? South Africa’s foreign relations under a new government: consistent policy with a new style The UK election debate has missed important conversations on defence Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock.  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧   Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧  Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe. 

Commodore Jay Tarriela from the Philippines Coast Guard, along with other experts, discuss the heightened tensions in the South China Sea, including China's aggressive actions, legal aspects of territorial claims, historical origins of boundary disputes, and the implications of the US presidential election on regional relations.

Fareed Zakaria discusses US stepping back from alliances & global order implications. Conversation on Russia-China dynamics, China's ambitions in Asia, challenges to liberal international order, and Britain's post-Brexit global role.

With Bronwen Maddox this week is Shaharzad Akbar, the former chair of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission and an Academy Associate at Chatham House. Joining them are Nilofar Sakhi, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Centre and Heather Hurlburt, an Associate Fellow with our US and the Americas Programme.  Read our latest: What the US wants from the next UK government’s foreign policy Advanced economies must urgently address their public debt overhangs How will gains by the far right affect the European Parliament and EU? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock.  Watch Chris Sabatini on Mexico's election 📺  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧   Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧  Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe. 

With Bronwen Maddox this week is Suzanne Lynch, the Global Playbook author and Associate Editor at POLITICO Europe. Joining them are Armida van Rij, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Europe Programme at Chatham House, and journalist Sebastien Maillard, Associate Fellow of the Europe Programme. Read our latest: India’s shock election result is a loss for Modi but a win for democracy After a landslide victory, global engagement is a necessity and an opportunity for Mexico’s next president An ANC–DA alliance is the outcome investors want in South Africa. But the parties see risks in partnership Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock.  Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧   Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧  Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe. 

Guests Philippe Sands, Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, and Nomi Bar-Yacoov discuss the impact of ICC and ICJ actions on Israel, challenges in proving genocide and war crimes, the prosecutor's legal actions in the Israel-Palestine conflict, global power dynamics in international criminal cases, and the complexity of international rules and legal obligations.