The Inside Story Podcast

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

Claudio Barrientos, a historian at Diego Portales University, discusses how Chile's failed constitutional reform led to a conservative resurgence. Jose Ragas, an assistant professor at Catholic University, frames this shift as a protest vote amid broader regional trends. Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow at Chatham House, warns of the geopolitical implications, linking Latin America's rightward turn to Trump's influence on themes like crime and immigration. Together, they explore the future of leftist movements and the volatility of political landscapes across South America.

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

Franak Viacorka, a Belarusian opposition figure, sheds light on the implications of Trump easing sanctions and whether it grants legitimacy to Lukashenko. Mark Episkopos discusses the shift in U.S. policy towards pragmatic engagement and its potential to improve human rights dialogue. Andrey Kortunov explores how this move might provoke the Kremlin and its effects on negotiations regarding Ukraine. The guests also debate the humanitarian aspects of the decision, the sidelining of Europe, and what it means for future interactions with authoritarian regimes.

Kambale Musavuli, an analyst at the Center for Research on the Congo, shares on-the-ground insights about the escalating violence in the DRC, critiquing M23's motives tied to mineral exploitation. Richard Moncrieff from the International Crisis Group discusses Rwanda's denial of support for M23 and the risks of regional conflict. They explore the failure of the Washington Accord, the potential impact of U.S. sanctions, and the urgent need for peace efforts. Both emphasize the dire consequences if the situation remains unaddressed.

Michael O'Flaherty, Commissioner for Human Rights, discusses the potentially damaging effects of proposed changes to the European Convention on Human Rights. Michael McDowell, Irish senator, presents a political viewpoint on the challenges posed by mass migration. Jennifer Nader, co-founder of Compassion in Politics, warns against capitulating to far-right pressures that threaten fundamental rights. Together, they explore how these reforms could transform asylum systems while highlighting the need for protections and evidence-based policies.