The Inside Story Podcast

In Syria's civil war, Russia, Iran, Turkey, the US and Arab states are all backing different factions. A swift opposition offensive has come as a shock. So how will these powers react? In this episode: Omer Ozkizilcik, Director, Turkish Studies, Omran Center for Strategic Studies.  Hassan Ahmadian, Professor, University of Tehran.  Vyacheslav Matuzov, Chairman, Russian Society of Friendship with Arab Countries.  Host: James Bays  Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Fuad Sayed Issa, founder of the Violet Aid Organization, and Ranj Alaaldin, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, share insights into the complex dynamics of the Syrian conflict. They discuss the opposition's unexpected offensive post-Aleppo's fall and the complacency of Assad's regime. Humanitarian crises, particularly in Aleppo, reveal dire needs for aid as millions face shortages. They also touch upon the potential resurgence of ISIS and the evolving U.S. involvement, underscoring the tangled geopolitical landscape.

Under sixteens banned from using social media under strict new legislation in Australia. The government says it's to protect children, but Big Tech companies and some human rights groups say it won't work. What are the arguments and the views worldwide? In this episode: Mark Andrejevic, Professor, Monash University's School of Media, Film, and Journalism.  Nirali Bhatia, Founder, Cyber BAAP.  Noeline Blackwell, Online Safety Co-ordinator, Children's Rights Alliance.  Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Qutaiba Idlbi, a Senior policy advisor at the American Coalition for Syria, and Caroline Rose, Director at the New Lines Institute, delve into the recent surge of violence in northwest Syria. They discuss the strategic maneuvers of anti-government forces, the shifting power dynamics involving Hezbollah and Iran, and Turkey's faltering diplomacy with the Assad regime. The discussion also highlights a collaborative move among rebel factions to unite against oppression, as well as the potential implications of a U.S. military withdrawal on regional stability.

People in Lebanon are picking up the pieces after nearly 14 months of war. The pause in hostilities has renewed a push to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Could the Lebanon ceasefire agreement be a step towards broader regional peace? In this episode: Nadim Houry, Executive Director, Arab Reform Initiative Mohammad Marandi, Professor of American Studies, University of Tehran Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, HuffPost  Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Returning home to ruins. A ceasefire is in place in Lebanon, ending more than a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Will the US brokered agreement hold? In this episode: Jamal Ghosn, Member, Editorial Board, Al Akhbar Newspaper. Randa Slim, Director, Conflict Resolution Program, Middle East Institute. Drew Mikhael, Non-resident Fellow, Tahrir Institute of Middle East Policy.  Host: Tom McRae Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Another attack on the media in Israel. The Benjamin Netanyahu government plans to sanction the country's oldest newspaper. Haaretz is accused of hurting the state through its critical coverage of the war on Gaza. So what does this mean for press freedom in Israel? In this episode: Akiva Eldar, Former Haaretz Editorial Board Member.  Tim Dawson, Deputy Secretary General, International Federation of Journalists. Dan Perry, Former Chair, Foreign Press Association of Israel.   Host: Tom McRae Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Pakistan's capital is sealed off. Security forces have been deployed to stop Imran Khan's supporters from marching into Islamabad. They're demanding the former prime minister be released from jail and the government resign. Could this lead to more political instability? In this episode: Azeema Cheema, Political Economy Specialist.  Hassan Akbar, Pakistan Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center.  Fahd Humayun, Visiting Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University. Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Deep division as an agreement is just about hammered out at the COP29 summit. But developing nations say the annual 300 billion dollars pledged by wealthier countries to help them cope with climate change is nowhere near enough. So how significant is this deal? In this episode: Asad Rehman, Executive Director, War on Want. Harjeet Singh, Global Engagement Director, Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative. Graham Gordon, Head, Global Advocacy, Christian Aid. Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Russia attacks Ukraine with a new hypersonic missile. Western leaders say it marks a dangerous new phase in the war. The Kremlin says it follows a decision by the White House to let Ukraine fire US missiles into Russian territory. So what could happen next? In this episode: Michael Bociurkiw, Global Affairs Analyst.  Pavel Felgenhauer, Russian Defence and Military Analyst.  Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Europe, New York Times.  Host: Bernard Smith Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!