The Inside Story Podcast

Iranians are choosing a successor to the late Ebrahim Raisi. But with the Supreme Leader wielding enormous power, how much difference would a new president make? And how is this vote being viewed, both regionally and globally? In this episode: Hassan Ahmadian, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic Research. Ali Vaez, Project Director on Iran at the International Crisis Group. Sami Nader, Director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs. Host: Sami Zeidan  Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Kenya is shaken by mass demonstrations against proposed tax hikes. Protesters accuse the president of failing to live up to his election promises. But the government says the finance bill is needed to pay off debt. Will the unrest be contained? Or will it escalate even further? In this episode: Hassan Khannenje, Director, HORN International Institute, Strategic Studies. Westen Shilaho, Senior Research Fellow, Institute For Pan-African Thought and Conversation, University of Johannesburg. Otsieno Namwaya, East Africa Director, Human Rights Watch. Host: Elizabeth Puranam Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

US missiles fired by Ukraine, killed sunbathers including children on a beach in Crimea. Moscow warns Washington it will respond. Russia has hit many civilian targets in Ukraine during the war - where both sides are using new weapons. So is there now a greater danger of direct conflict between Russia and NATO? In this episode: Hanna Shelest, Director, Security Studies Program, Ukrainian Prism. Patrick Bury, Defence and Security Analyst, University of Bath. Pavel Felgenhauer, Independent Russian Defence Analyst, Moscow. Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Fury in India. Students see their state exams results scrapped because of a corruption scandal. Police are investigating widespread leaks of exam papers, affecting more than two million young people. So what next for the students - and the country's education system? In this episode: N. Sai Balaji, Former President, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union. Kiran Bhatty, Senior Visiting Fellow, Centre for Policy Research.  Sravasti Dasgupta, Senior Reporter, The Wire.  Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Israel's prime minister is set to address a joint session of the US Congress next month. It's Benjamin Netanyahu's first trip to Washington since he launched his devastating war on Gaza. His speech could have big political implications for President Joe Biden, and Israel. So, what might happen? In this episode: Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, HuffPost. Yossi Mekelberg, Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House. Rami Khouri, Distinguished Public Policy Fellow, American University of Beirut. Host: Elizabeth Puranam Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Tax experts and activists discuss Kenya's protests against new taxes. Government aims to widen tax base with indirect taxes. Youth engagement and impact of tax reforms. Challenges of debt repayment and strategies for sustainable development.

Experts discuss Putin's recent visits to North Korea and Vietnam, highlighting the alliance implications, military assistance talks, and geopolitical dynamics. They explore Putin's strategy against Western hegemony, challenges of dealing with North Korea's nuclear program, and the potential addition of Russia to the state sponsor of terrorism list.

Yet again, Israel is accused of committing war crimes against Palestinians, this time by a UN-backed commission of inquiry. The Palestinian armed groups also received a share of the blame. But who will enforce accountability? In this episode: Bill van Esveld, Acting Israel and Palestine Associate Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Human Rights Watch. Uri Dromi, Former Israeli government spokesman and founding president of the Jerusalem Press Club. William Law, Editor of Arab Digest, an online current affairs newsletter. Host: Neave Barker Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Are Israel and Hezbollah on the verge of a full-blown war? The two sides are stepping up rhetoric and cross-border attacks. Israel says plans for an offensive in Lebanon have been approved. But what would a war look like this time round? And does diplomacy stand a chance? In this episode: Nicholas Noe, Editor-in-Chief, Mideastwire.com Robert Geist Pinfold, Lecturer, Peace and Security, Durham University. Mohanad Hage Ali, Deputy Director for Research, Malcolm H Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.  Host: Neave Barker Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Is a global nuclear arms race underway? A report finds nuclear powers have increased spending on a scale never seen before. Ongoing armed conflicts are said to be the reason. So does that mean atomic weapons are likely to be used? And has nuclear deterrence failed? In this episode: Nikolai Sokov, Senior Fellow, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. Gary Samore, Professor, Brandeis University.  Victor Gao, Vice President, Center for China and Globalisation. Host: Neave Barker Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook