The Inside Story Podcast

A US military build-up and strikes on boats near Venezuela. President Donald Trump says he's targeting drug gangs - without presenting evidence. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he'll stand up to Washington - with his country now on high-alert. So, what's next?  In this episode:  Elias Ferrer, Founder of Orinoco Research Paola Bautista de Aleman, Member of the Venezuelan opposition in exile Temir Porras, Managing Director at Global Sovereign Advisory and a former Foreign Policy Advisor to President Hugo Chávez Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

France's political turmoil deepens - President Emmanuel Macron's fifth prime minister in less than two years quits after just 27 days and his government lasting just 14 hours. The Left and Right want elections and for Macron to quit. So, what's next for France?  In this episode:  Thierry Mariani, Member, European Parliament, National Rally Party. Eleonore Caroit, Member, Renaissance party and French National Assembly deputy. Eric Bocquet, Mayor, Marquillies. Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Will parliamentary elections in Syria lead to a democratic transition? The country has held its first indirect vote since the overthrow of the al-Assad regime. The new parliament is due to pass a new constitution. But with Syria still facing challenges and some minorities excluded, will this poll serve any purpose? In this episode:  Celine Kasem, Human Rights Activist. Omer Ozkizilcik, Non-Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council. Heiko Wimmen, Project Director for Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, International Crisis Group. Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Talks to implement Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza are underway. The proposal aims to end Israel's war on the strip, but ignores its decades-long occupation. So, could there ever be peace if Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territories? In this episode:  Andrew Gilmour, Former UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights. Victor Kattan, Assistant Professor, Public International Law, University of Nottingham.  Simon Mabon, Professor, Middle East and International Politics, Lancaster University. Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The U.S. president tells Israel to stop bombing the strip. Now, negotiations will seek to implement the plan. So, are they likely to work? And can the war finally come to an end? In this episode:  Mouin Rabbani - Researcher, Analyst and Co-Editor of Jadaliyya.  Yossi Mekelberg - Political Analyst and Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House. Muhammad Shehada - Analyst from Gaza and Senior Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

That's come after the Senate failed to agree on extending federal spending. Hundreds of thousands of employees are affected. But how is it being felt across the country? And what is it costing the economy? In this episode:  Eric Ham - Political Analyst and Author of ‘The GOP Civil War: Inside the Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party’. Drew Friedman - Reporter at Federal News Network focusing on federal workforce, pay and benefits. Rina Shah - Political Strategist and Former Senior Congressional Adviser. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

European leaders meet to discuss Russia and the Ukraine war - after a surge in attacks by both sides in September. More sanctions are under discussion - and new defences against Russian drones. So what next for peace efforts - or are Russia and Europe moving closer to conflict? In this episode:  Mattia Nelles - CEO and co-founder of the German-Ukrainian Bureau. Eldar Mamedov - Non-Resident Fellow at the Quincy Institute, former Latvian diplomat and former foreign policy adviser in the European Parliament.  Alexey Muraviev - Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin University in Perth, Australia.  Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

A vital speech for UK prime minister Keir Starmer to rally his party - hoping to reverse dismal poll ratings a year on from a huge election win. Immigration policy and the right-wing Reform UK party pose serious challenges. Can Starmer overcome them - and if not, what next?  In this episode:  Patrick Diamond - Professor in Public Policy at Queen Mary University of London. Jennifer Nadel - Political Communications Strategist and co-founder of Compassion in Politics. Michael Walker - Contributing Editor at Novara Media. Host: Nick Clark Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

In this enlightening discussion, Salman Shaikh, former UN official, Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian political leader, and Nomi Bar-Yaacov, international peace negotiator, delve into Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. They explore whether the timing is right for peace and critique the plan's representation of Palestinian interests. The guests voice concerns about Hamas's trustworthiness and the implications of foreign oversight. They also touch on the dire conditions in the West Bank and the importance of Palestinian self-determination amidst ongoing tensions.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Ashish Prashar, a political strategist behind the Game Over Israel campaign, advocates for banning Israel from global sports amid ongoing conflict. Dan Perry, a former AP editor, cautions against politicizing sports, arguing that such boycotts might backfire. Andrew Feinstein, an anti-apartheid activist, draws parallels to South Africa's sports isolation. The trio debates the effectiveness of these measures and whether they could truly shift policies or public opinion, with nuanced perspectives on the implications for both athletes and governments.