The Listening Post

With world leaders gathered in Egypt for the latest UN climate summit, the agenda could not be clearer. Experts say the policies governments put in place at last year’s conference in Scotland will still leave large parts of the planet uninhabitable. The lack of progress has many questioning the COP process.Contributors:Bahar Dutt - Environmental journalist; associate professor, Shiv Nadar UniversityAsad Rehman - Executive director, War on Want; lead spokesperson, Climate Justice CoalitionKatharine Hayhoe - Chief scientist, The Nature ConservancyJoanna Depledge - Former programme officer, UN Climate Secretariat; research fellow, Climate StrategiesOn our radar:Egypt is under fire over the case of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, whose imprisonment has threatened to overshadow proceedings for COP27. Tariq Nafi looks into the case.Prigozhin: the man doing Putin's dirty workYevgeny Prigozhin is the Russian oligarch best known as the man behind Wagner - a private military company - mercenaries notorious for doing the Kremlin’s bidding overseas. He’s also the creator of a media network which has produced propaganda and misinformation in Russia and abroad.Contributor:Ilya Barabanov - Journalist, BBCCredit: 'All Eyes On Wagner' - a project by OpenFacto dedicated to tracking Wagner mercenaries’ activities around the world and their alleged abuses.Subscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

Not content with manufacturing cars, generating energy, getting into space travel - Elon Musk is in the midst of a $44bn takeover of Twitter. Now he has also been involved in foreign policy conflicts - from Russia-Ukraine to China and Taiwan. Musk clearly considers himself a geopolitical player, but he is entering a world in which he has no expertise, just interests.Contributors:Chris Stokel-Walker - Technology journalist & author, TikTokBoomPeter Micek - General counsel, Access NowJason Jay Smart - Special correspondent, Kyiv PostSiva Vaidhyanathan - Professor of media studies, University of Virginia; author, Anti-social MediaOn our radar:Rupert Murdoch is on the verge of yet another business move, wanting to combine the two halves of his media empire: the TV side - Fox Corp - with the online news business - News Corp. Producer Meenakshi Ravi explores how the merger is much more an exercise in succession planning than a business deal in itself.Striking Back: UK’s Unions vs the Media:With the United Kingdom in a state of political disarray, a rare wave of work stoppages has put trade unions – and the media’s treatment of them – into the spotlight. Following successive rail strikes, right-wing newspapers have blamed the unions for travel disruptions, but one union leader - Mick Lynch - has flipped the script – putting journalists on the defensive over their habitual anti-union approach. Daniel Turi reports on the coverage of labour issues in the British media.Contributors:Aditya Chakrabortty - Senior economics commentator, The GuardianJulia Langdon - Former political editor, The Sunday Telegraph; former political editor, The Daily Mirror; chairwoman, British Journalism ReviewNicholas Jones - Former industrial correspondent, BBCSubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

Inside Russia, the narrative around the "war" is changing. The pro-war Putin-faithful are grappling with defeats they never expected and generals are taking the flak from public figures, loyalists on state TV channels, and even military bloggers.Contributors:Jade McGlynn - Monterey Initiative in Russian StudiesMaxim Alyukov - King’s Russia Institute, King’s College LondonMikhail Fishman - Anchor, Dozhd TVKatrina vanden Heuvel - Editorial director, The NationOn our radar:Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei finally broke his silence on the protests that have shaken the country for weeks. Producer Flo Phillips analyses Khamenei’s speech - key parts of which he also tweeted - and the repercussions it has had at home and abroad.Russia: National myths and rewriting history:Last year, the Kremlin published an essay - in Vladimir Putin’s name - arguing that Russians and Ukrainians are of the same Slavic nation. This new historical discourse has been key in the narrative built around the invasion of Ukraine. Producer Tariq Nafi looks into the battle over historical memory in Russia.Contributors:Nikita Petrov - Historian and member, MemorialYevgenia Albats - Journalist and editor-in-chief, The New TimesMikhail Myagkov - Scientific director, Russian Military-Historical SocietySubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

After being forced off mainstream social media, QAnon followers fled to the outer reaches of the internet and, since then, QAnon’s gamification of reality has morphed into more pragmatic goals - like electing certain politicians. Chief among them is Donald Trump, whose occasional flirtation with the movement has moved to more of an open embrace.Contributors:Mia Bloom - Professor of communication, Georgia State UniversityAlex Kaplan - Senior researcher, Media Matters for AmericaKurt Eichenwald - Author and journalistJulian Feeld - Host and producer, QAnon Anonymous podcastOn our radar:In a televised speech this past week, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is not ruling out the use of nuclear weapons to protect its people. Producer Johanna Hoes reports on how this threat is still reverberating overseas - and how it’s had consequences for the people and the pundits at home.A Game Designer’s Analysis Of QAnon:Game designer Reed Berkowitz explores how the world of QAnon is similar to the ones he creates - in alternate reality games. His analysis explains how our flawed minds work, and how easily we can be dragged down the conspiratorial rabbit hole.Contributor:Reed Berkowitz - Game designerSubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

In death, as in life, British Queen Elizabeth II is at the centre of a media spectacle - but not all outlets, especially those outside the United Kingdom, have maintained a tone of reverence, with many confronting thorny issues from the monarchy’s past.Contributors:Mic Wright - Media criticMaya Jasanoff - Professor of History, Harvard UniversityLaura Clancy - Author, Running the Family Firm, and lecturer in Media, Lancaster UniversityTim Ewart - Royal commentator, and former royal editor, ITV NewsOn our radar:Nearly seven months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there have been major breakthroughs on the battlefield. Producer Flo Phillips explains how those breakthroughs have had repercussions for the Russian state media narrative.Latin America's TikTok politicos:Right-wing politicians in Latin America are relying heavily on TikTok - and its short, catchy videos - to sell themselves. Producer Ryan Kohls explores how the social media platform of the moment is affecting politics across the continent.Contributors:Fernanda Seavon - Writer and photographerSebastian Valenzuela - Associate Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and researcher, Millennium Institute for Foundational Research on DataEdgard Gutierrez - Political consultant and strategist, and a member of the International Association of Political Consultants.Subscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

India is at a dangerous moment.The voices of Hindutva - Hindu supremacy - are ascending, spreading division and hate speech. It has worked its way through the body politic like a slow-acting poison. And the effect on the secular fabric of the Indian republic and the lives of minorities - especially Muslims - has proven toxic, at times deadly.Contributors:Kanchan Gupta - Senior adviser, Ministry of Information & BroadcastingManisha Pande - Executive editor, NewslaundryArvind Rajagopal - Professor of Media Studies, NYUShahrukh Alam - Advocate and columnistGregory Stanton - President, Genocide Watch

The High Court in the United Kingdom is debating whether Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the United States. Press freedom advocates say handing him over would put journalists everywhere at risk.Contributors:Tariq Ali - Author, In Defence of Julian AssangeBranko Marcetic - Writer, JacobinAnna Loll - Freelance journalistHolly Cullen - Adjunct professor of law, University of Western AustraliaOn our radar:An organisation set up by Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has released a blacklist of politicians, academics and journalists it considers "pro-Russian propagandists". Producer Johanna Hoes reports on the Ukrainian government’s Kremlin-esque approach to freedom of opinion.Kenyan elections: Influencers & dangerous disinformation:As the Kenyan election race heats up, producer Ryan Kohls asks if politicians are paying influencers to push disinformation and dangerous propaganda.Contributors:Odanga Madung - Fellow, MozillaWanjiru Nguhi - Coordinator, Fumbua InitiativeMac Otani - Digital strategist, Raila Odinga CampaignDennis Itumbi - Digital strategist, William Ruto CampaignSubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

As Tunisia prepares to vote on a controversial new constitution, President Kais Saied’s continuing power grab risks reversing the country's hard-won media freedoms.Contributors:Thameur Mekki - Editor-in-chief, NawaatMonia Ben Hamadi - Media consultantMonica Marks - Professor of Middle East politics, NYU Abu DhabiOn our radar:In Iran, three acclaimed film directors are arrested for statements made on social media in support of anti-government protests. Meenakshi Ravi reports on why Iran is going after outspoken artists.Ghana’s LGBTQ-phobia & the media:Ghana’s media cheers on proposed anti-LGBTQ+ laws, even while they threaten freedom of the press.Contributors:Sam Nartey George - Member of parliamentEbenezer Peegah - Founder, Rightify GhanaKapya Kaoma - Anglican priestSubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

Social media users and their smartphones have driven and documented protests that ended the presidency of Sri Lanka's Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Even mainstream media outlets have been forced to assess the sort of coverage they do.Contributors:Nalaka Gunawardene - Media analystVindhya Buthpitiya - Anthropologist, University of St AndrewsBhavani Fonseka - Human rights lawyerSanjana Hattotuwa - Research fellow, The Disinfo ProjectOn our radar:Bashar al-Assad’s latest Aleppo visit was a PR hit. Tariq Nafi has more on the highly symbolic visit that provided plenty of media opportunities.India’s local journalism under pressure:Being a local journalist in India is fraught with challenges. We speak to two journalists - one from Indian-administered Kashmir and the other from Chhattisgarh - about the pressures they face.Contributors:Kamal Shukla - Editor, Bhumkal SamacharAnuradha Bhasin - Executive editor, Kashmir TimesSubscribe to our channel http://bit.ly/AJSubscribeFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/AJEnglishFind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aljazeeraCheck our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/@AljazeeraEnglish#Aljazeeraenglish#News

As Egypt’s President el-Sisi kicks off a "National Dialogue" on human rights, the precarious fate of jailed writer and activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah exposes the grave climate for free speech in the country.\r\n\r\nContributors:\r\nMona Seif - Sister of Alaa Abd el-Fattah\r\nNancy Okail - President, Center for International Policy\r\nAmr Khalifa - Political analyst\r\nSabrina Bennoui - Head of the Middle East desk, Reporters Without Borders\r\n\r\nOn our radar:\r\nFall from disgrace. Ex-journalist turned Prime Minister Boris Johnson is basically done at 10 Downing Street.\r\n\r\nMedia, monopolies and the rewriting of Chile’s constitution:\r\nChile is working on a new constitution that has some of Augusto Pinochet’s favourite news outlets fighting for their corporate lives.\r\n\r\nContributors:\r\nPatricio Fernández - Member, Chilean Constitutional Convention Journalist & Founder, The Clinic\r\nJorge Saavedra - Author, The Media Commons and Social Movements\r\nClaudio Fuentes - Historian, Diego Portales University; author, The Fraud: Chronicle on the Plebiscite of the 1980 Constitution\r\nBelén Pellegrini - Journalist, La Neta