The Inside Story Podcast

With the US and Israel signalling possible attacks, and Iran promising to respond, top officials from the Mecca pact nations – Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye – have sat down with Iranian leaders in Tehran. It’s being viewed as the last chance to defuse tensions in the Gulf. Diplomacy has so far failed to secure a peace agreement between Iran and the US. So, with fighting in Yemen spilling over into Saudi Arabia, can the Mecca alliance work with Iran to help secure the region?
In this episode:
Hamid Reza Gholamzadeh, Director of DiploHouse, a Tehran-based think-tank
Khaled Batarfi, Saudi political analyst and academic
Joey Hood, former Acting Director for the Office of Iranian Affairs at the State Department
Host: Folly Bah Thibault
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Another weekend - another wave of protests in many European countries. But it's in France where some of the largest demonstrations have taken place. It's a similar story across other parts of the continent. So, what would it take for governments to enact the changes protesters are demanding?
In this episode:
Jack Eisner, public law student at Science Po Paris
Rainbow Murray, specialist in French politics and Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London
Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of European Movement International and a European policy analyst
Host: James Bays
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Three-and-a-half years of war in Sudan have forced millions of people from their homes. Most remain in limbo in temporary camps and shelters, facing a worsening food crisis, while aid agencies say a sharp global funding shortfall means they can’t reach everyone. So will anyone step in to help the civilians caught up in the fighting?
In this episode:
Cameron Hudson, Former Director for African Affairs at the US National Security Council
Noah Taylor, Head of Operations in Sudan for the Norwegian Refugee Council
Kholood Khair, Founding Director of Confluence Advisory
Host: Mohammed Jamjoom
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The US brokered a ceasefire to end Israel's war on Gaza. But since then, Israel has not stopped its attacks. Meanwhile, funding shortages are forcing the World Food Programme to cut back its operations in Gaza, leaving half a million Palestinians without badly needed food aid. So how can that gap be closed?
In this episode:
Tamer Qarmout, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
Mohammed Salah, entrepreneur and founder of Tech From Palestine
Natasha Hall, Senior Advocate for the Middle East with Refugees International and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House
Host: Imran Khan
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Weeks of student protests in France have grown into some of the worst unrest in recent years. They started as a call for reforms to the education system. But they've since expanded into demonstrations against the high cost of living and planned cuts to social services. And France isn't alone. Demonstrators have taken to the streets in other parts of Europe. So how will Europe deal with the protests?
In this episode:
Diane de Vignemont, independent journalist and historian
Julius Fintelmann, Co-founder and Editor-in-chief at The European Correspondent
Jaime Velazquez, independent journalist
Host: James Bays
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