Independent Thinking

Lucy Fisher, FT's Whitehall Editor, and experts Olivia O’Sullivan and Alex Krasodomski discuss the potential impacts of AI, the competition between UK and US, the difficulties of regulating AI technology, and the contrasting approaches to AI regulation in the UK and US.

Roxanne Escobales speaks with experts from our US and Americas programme, Dr Christopher Sabatini and Vanessa Rubio-Márquez, about Argentina's on-going election. Joining them from Buenos Aires are journalist Natalia Gherardi who is covering Argentina's election up-close. Don't miss our expertise: If Milei meets Massa in a second round, all bets are off for Argentina's election Latin America's anti-femicide crusades need help Mexico: The election race to succeed AMLO has started Presented by Roxanne Escobales. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Matthew Docherty.

Bronwen Maddox speaks with New York Times journalist Steven Erlanger about President Biden's trip to Israel and the prospects of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. Joining them are Sam Rose from UNRWA and Dr Elham Fakhro from our Middle East and North Africa programme. Don't miss our expertise: President Biden's Middle East visit reveals the challenges for US diplomacy Israel has the capacity to significantly damage Hamas with a ground offensive MENA countries should lead the way de-escalating the Israel–Hamas war Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Matthew Docherty.

Bronwen Maddox discusses the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the Israeli military response in Gaza with Professor Yossi Mekelberg and Dr Elham Fakhor. Topics include the motives of Hamas, impact on peace deals, Saudi Arabia's role, Israel's security measures, Arab League reactions, Gaza's humanitarian crisis, and diplomatic challenges.

Bronwen Maddox speaks with Rory Stewart about the state of British politics in a world of populist leaders. Journalist Robert Peston meanwhile joins us from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. Later in the show, Roxanne Escobales and Olivia O'Sullivan discuss whether Rory Stewart is right about the state of Britain, and whether his time in government was a success or failure. Don't miss our expertise: In conversation with The Rt Hon Rory Stewart President Biden should not rush a deal on Israel–Saudi normalization The future of the Republican Party Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Matthew Docherty.

Bronwen Maddox speaks with Ambassador Roya Rahmani, Shaharzad Akbar and Tobias Ellwood MP about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and whether the West should engage with the Taliban. Read our expertise: Seizing MENA's moment Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler.

World leaders met in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). All the P5 leaders bar America's Joe Biden stayed away however. Is the UN losing its relevance in international affairs? Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are Mark Malloch-Brown, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Roger Boyes, Diplomatic Editor for The Times, and Leslie Vinjamuri, the Director of the US and Americas programme. Read our expertise: Rishi Sunak's speech will make the UK harder to take seriously at COP28 If the SDGs are to survive, multilateral development banks must embrace reform Western policy towards Iran lacks both goals and goalposts Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler.

G20 leaders met in New Delhi this week to discuss economic cooperation. Underlying the summit however were wider international tensions and a sense of India on the rise. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are Samir Puri, a visiting lecturer in War Studies at King's College London, Chietigj Bajpaee, the new South Asia fellow at Chatham House, and Leslie Vinjamuri, the director of the US and Americas programme. Read our expertise: US–India ties deepened at the G20. But domestic politics could pull the countries in different directions The G20 lives on, but mistrust between the West and China hampers progress The G20 showcases India's growing power. It could also expose the limits of its foreign policy Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler.

September 16 marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman killed in police custody. Since her death Iran has been rocked by a year of protests in which over 500 people, many of them women, have been killed. Joining Bronwen Maddox in the studio this week are former BBC journalist Rana Rahimpour, Dr Sanam Vakil, the Director of our Middle East and North Africa programme and journalist Michael Goldfarb. Read our expertise: Making climate an election issue risks undermining the UK's international role The G20 showcases India's growing power Whether 1.5°C is 'alive' or 'dead', a new climate plan will be required Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler.

Independent Thinking is back after a short summer break for the start of Season 2 of the podcast. This week, for our first episode, we're returning to the much-discussed topic of Ukraine's counter-offensive. Since June, the Ukrainian armed forces have been fighting hard to breach the defensive lines established by the Russian army in the east and south, the so-called 'Surovkin Line'. Joining Bronwen Maddox on the show this week are Christopher Miller, the Ukraine correspondent for the FT and the author of the book 'The War Came to Us: Life and Death in Ukraine' and Ulrike Franke, a Senior Fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations. Joining them in the studio here in London are James Nixey and Orysia Lutsevych, the director and deputy director respectively of our Russia and Eurasia programme. Read our expertise: US allies need to wake up to the Trump question Pushing Ukraine to negotiate now would be disastrous How to end Russia's war on Ukraine Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Alex Moyler and Abdul Boudaif.