Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest in...
What next for Syria and the Middle East after Assad?
Does Bashar al-Assad’s removal offer a renewed chance for peace in Syria, or is his fall the start of a new phase of conflict in the Middle East? Bronwen Maddox is joined by Gideon Rachman, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, former BBC Persia journalist Rana Rahimpour and Haid Haid, a senior consulting fellow for our Middle East and North Africa programme. Read our latest: The fall of Assad has exposed the extent of the damage to Iran’s axis of resistance While international support is crucial, Syrians must lead their country’s political transition How South Korea’s turmoil will reverberate beyond its borders Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the Winter issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
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Europe, Trump and Chagos: What will UK foreign policy look like in 2025?
Five months in, has Sir Keir Starmer's foreign policy been a success? The UK-EU relationship remains a major challenge for 2025, as does the prospect of a new US president. How will Starmer respond, and will the recent Chagos Islands deal impact the UK's international standing? Bronwen Maddox is joined the BBC’s diplomatic editor James Landale, Professor Anand Menon, the director of UK in a Changing Europe at King's College London and Olivia O’Sullivan and the director of our UK in the World programme. Read our latest: Starmer and his government must make a better case for an active UK foreign policy Syria’s conflict was never going to stay frozen. A new push for a lasting peace is needed North Korea and Russia’s dangerous partnership State capacity, mining and community relations in Peru Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
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Is Europe falling apart?
Europe is contending with a stagnating economy, political dysfunction in Germany and France, and Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine, all while it looks to the return of Donald Trump. Will the continent's democracies hold together in the face of such challenges? Bronwen Maddox is joined by journalist and historian Timothy Garton Ash, Mujtaba Rahman, Europe Managing Director at the Eurasia Group and Armida van Rij, senior research fellow and the Head of our Europe programme. Read our latest: The break-up of Scholz’s coalition government signals the end of Germany’s old economic model The ceasefire in Lebanon has dealt a huge blow to Iran’s regional strategy Why cyber doomsday warnings do more harm than good Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
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Has COP29 made a difference on climate change?
The panel discuss whether the COP29 climate summit delivered anything meaningful and what Donald Trump's election means for combating climate change. As the world moves closer to crossing the 1.5 degree threshold, Bronwen Maddox is joined by former BBC journalist Roger Harrabin and Maria Netto, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Society in Brazil. Also with them from COP29 in Baku is Ruth Townend, senior research fellow with our Environment and Society Centre. More from Roger Harrabin: BBC Radio 4 - The Year We Lost the Climate Read our latest: Closing the climate finance gap Azerbaijan’s climate leadership challenge What is COP29 and why is it important? Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
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How will China respond to Donald Trump 2.0?
The re-election of Donald Trump has major consequences for America’s relations with China. The panel discuss how the US-China relationship might change under the next president. Guest host Ben Bland is joined by historian and political scientist Professor Rana Mitter, the FT’s US-China correspondent, Demetri Sevastopulo and Dr Yu Jie, a senior research fellow with our Asia-Pacific programme. Read our latest: Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy will accelerate China’s push for global leadership The Gulf will seek to manage Trump through self-reliance and pragmatism Donald Trump’s policies risk making the US dollar a source of global instability Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Read the latest issue of The World Today Listen to The Climate Briefing podcast 🎧 Listen to Africa Aware podcast 🎧 Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts - please listen, review, and subscribe.
Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox hosts conversations with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts to provide insight into the latest international political issues.
Independent Thinking gives listeners the opportunity to engage with the high level conversations hosted by Chatham House.