The Inside Story Podcast

International concern is mounting over the India-Pakistan conflict - as both are armed with substantial nuclear arsenals. Atomic bombs have only been used twice - eighty years ago on Japan. What nuclear risks do the current hostilities pose?

In this episode: 

• Dan Smith, Director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• Susi Snyder, Programme co-ordinator at the International Campaign to Abolish ...

The US president has announced he'll stop attacks on Yemen. Donald Trump says he made the decision after the Houthis assured him they'll end their strikes on American ships in the Red Sea. They had been targeting vessels after Israel launched its war on Gaza. But will Israel also stop its air strikes? And what does this mean for Yemen? 

In this episode: 

• Maysaa Shuja Al Deen, Senior Researcher, Sana'a Center for Stra...

Donald Trump says Hollywood is 'dying fast'. The US President blames foreign countries for the crisis. And he has ordered a 100% tariff on imported films and those produced outside the United States. But how will the tariffs work? And what will be their larger impact?

In this episode: 

• Jonathan Handel, Entertainment Lawyer and Journalist. 
• Chris Southworth, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce United ...

Cardinals of the Catholic Church gather in Rome to elect the next Pope. Whether a moderniser or conservative wins, big challenges await them within the church and on the global political stage. So what are they? And what could be the future direction of the Church?

In this episode: 

• Gerard O'Connell, Vatican Correspondent, America Magazine. 
• Michel Mondengele, Country Director, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Catholic Agen...

Starvation threatens the people of Gaza due to Israel's blockade. Food and vital supplies are running out across the strip. Yet, Israel is calling up sixty-thousand more reservists to intensify military action. So why is this happening? 

In this episode: 

• Olga Cherevko, Spokeswoman, United Nations Office, Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza City.
• Sami Al-Arian, Director, Center for Islam and Global Affairs, ...

The United Nations says a funding crisis is putting millions of people in danger. An internal review of the organisation is also reported to be looking for drastic cuts and reforms. That's after its biggest donor, the US, has slashed foreign aid. So what's next for the UN?

In this episode: 

• Sherine Tadros, UN Representative, Amnesty International.
• Martin Griffiths, Director, Mediation Group International. 
• Stephanie...

Mike Waltz has been dropped as US national security advisor. It's the first big shift in personnel of Donald Trump's second term. Weeks ago, Waltz added a journalist to a chat group of senior officials sharing secret information. Is that why he's being moved - or is there more going on?

In this episode: 

• John Halterwanger, reporter at Foreign Policy Magazine covering U.S. national security
• Amy Koch, a Republican political...

Sudan is suffering the world's worst famine in four decades says the United Nations as conflict between government and paramilitary forces rages. Yet international aid, never needed more than now, is dwindling. What's next for the people of Sudan?

In this episode: 

• Amgad Fareid Eltayeb, Executive Director of Fikra for Studies and Development.
• Kholood Khair, Founding Director of Confluence Advisory.
• Justin Lynch,...

US President Donald Trump marks 100 days of his second term -- a time for the US and the world to take stock, and perhaps, a breather. The 100 day mark has been a political yardstick for nearly a century. So, is it important? What does it tell us?

In this episode: 

• Niall Stanage, White House Columnist, The Hill. 
• Patrick Mara, Chairman, DC Republican Party. 
• Michael Fauntroy, Professor, Policy and Governmen...

In one of the greatest political comebacks in Canadian history, Mark Carney has kept the governing Liberal Party in power. It was an intense campaign dominated by tariffs and threats of annexation from US President Donald Trump. So, where does Canada go from here?

In this episode: 

• Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief, The Globe and Mail. 
• Shachi Kurl, President, Angus Reid Institute.
• Cameron Ahmad, Former Director,...

The International Court of Justice hears another case against Israel - in what could be a test of Israeli defiance of international law. More than 40 nations argue its ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees is a breach of the UN charter. So, can the world court hold Israel to account this time? 

In this episode: 

• Sam Rose, Senior Acting Director, UNRWA Affairs in Gaza. 
• Michael Lynk, Professor Emerit...

An extraordinary meeting and a conversation labelled 'historic'. Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in St Peter's Basilica to talk peace in Ukraine, as Washington says a deal is 'very close'. But is it?

In this episode: 

• Oleksiy Goncharenko, Ukrainian Member of Parliament. 
• Rachel Rizzo, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council's Europe Center.
• Alexander Braterskya, Independent Journalist. 

Host: Elizabe...

With Pope Francis' funeral, the world's 1.4 billion Catholics are turning the page on an era of reform and liberalism. Now, the Vatican faces the questions - what will its next chapter look like - and how will the next Pope wield the power of the Church?

In this episode: 

• Kayode Akintola, Head, Africa Region, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.
• Glenda Miro Antonio, Founder and President, Spring Rain Global. 
• Ma...

The United Nations urges calm between India and Pakistan. Relations have plummeted after gunmen killed tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. Furious rhetoric and diplomatic actions by both sides are keeping tensions high. How serious is this crisis?

In this episode: 

• Maleeha Lodhi, Columnist for DAWN newspaper and former Pakistani ambassador
• Sumantra Bose, Author of ‘Kashmir at the Crossroads: Insi...

Russia's biggest attack on Kyiv in months, after a day of chaotic diplomacy, ending with the US president accusing Ukraine of prolonging the war. Kyiv has rejected Washington's proposal it concede Crimea and other occupied territory to Moscow. So what's next?

In this episode: 

• Peter Zalmayev, Executive Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. 
• Pavel Felgenhauer, Russian foreign policy analyst.
• Steven Erlang...

Global financial turmoil tops the agenda as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank hold meetings in Washington DC. The organisations face significant challenges -- and criticism too. Can they help vulnerable countries or will Western interests take priority?

In this episode: 

• Ali Hasanain, Associate Professor, Lahore University of Management Sciences.
• Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser, Centre for Economics and B...

Kenya's president on a five-day state visit to China, its largest lender, while Beijing's trade war with Washington intensifies. How is it worsening? And what's the impact on countries like Kenya, which do business with both economic superpowers?

In this episode: 

• Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow, Taihe Institute. 
• Robert Scott, Independent International Economist.
• David Omojomolo, Emerging Market Economist, Africa, Capit...

Many say he was a Pope like no other. Outspoken and forthright, Pope Francis took a stand on many critical issues facing our world. The head of the Roman Catholic Church called out the Israeli government while appealing for peace in Gaza. And criticised right-wing European politicians, as he advocated for an open door policy for migrants and refugees. So, how will he be remembered? Especially by those in the global S...

A controversial return. Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila is back home after a self-imposed exile. The government accuses Kabila of backing the M23 rebels who have seized large areas in eastern DRC. So, what does Kabila's return mean for the fragile security situation?

In this episode: 

• Fidel Amakye Owusu, Chief Executive, Def-SEC Analytics Africa.
• Andrew Mwenda, Editor, The Independent. 
• Al...