The 'time is now' -  Antony Blinken striking an urgent tone in his attempts to get a ceasefire in Gaza. America's top diplomat says a strong proposal is on the table, as he makes his seventh visit to the Middle East since fighting began in October. That's as indirect negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, carry on in Egypt. But questions are being raised about the chances of an agreement after Israeli Prime Minister reiterated his plan to invade Rafah. Can Benjamin Netanyahu's...

A political standoff in Georgia. The government says a bill it's trying to pass for a second time would regulate foreign influence and protect the country's sovereignty. But critics are protesting it would crush freedoms. European leaders have criticised the bill. Can the crisis undermine Georgia's ambition to join the European Union? In this episode: Mariam Lashkhi, Member, Georgian Parliament. Thornike Gordadze, Fellow, Jacques Delors Institute. Khatia Dekanoidze, Member, Georgian...

All eyes are on the International Criminal Court. It's investigating Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. And Israeli officials fear it's preparing to issue arrest warrants against the Prime Minister and other senior figures. So what would legal action mean for the country and its leaders? Host: Nick Clark and Guests. Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

A wasteland of rubble. The UN says clearing the debris from Israel's war on Gaza will be a huge challenge that could take 14 years. Unexploded munitions will also make this a dangerous task. So, what will this mean for the millions of Palestinians who hope to return to their homes? In this episode: Jonathan Guthrie, Director of Operations, Norwegian People's Aid. Federico Dessi, Middle East Director, Humanity and Inclusion. Raja Khalidi, Director General, Palestine Economic Policy...

30 years of Freedom. South Africans are marking three decades since the end of apartheid. But the country is facing major challenges as it heads into an election So, has the governing ANC failed to live up to its promises? In this episode: Melanie Verwoerd, Political Analyst. William Gumede, Founder, Democracy Works Foundation. Zackie Achmat, Activist and Independent Candidate for South Africa's Parliament. Host: Neave Barker Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts...

From coast to coast, anger is rising in US universities against Israel's war on Gaza. Students are defying a crackdown and demanding their schools cut off links with Israel. But have these protests become politicised? And is freedom of speech under threat? In this episode: Jude Taha, a Palestinian Journalist and Student at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.  Jeremi Suri, Historian and Professor of Global Leadership, History, and Public Policy at the University of Texas...

There's a global outcry after the discovery of more mass graves in two Gaza hospitals. Israel is under pressure to provide answers. But will it? And how will it be held to account? In this episode: Mansour Shouman, Gaza Citizen Journalist. Andreas Kleiser, Director for Policy and Cooperation at the International Commission on Missing Persons. Kenneth Roth, Visiting Professor at Princeton School for Public and International Affairs.  Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts...

How can we reduce food insecurity? A report by 16 agencies finds the lives of nearly 300 million people globally are in danger. And that spreading conflict, rather than climate change, is the biggest cause. Has enough been done to address the crisis? In this episode: Alex de Waal,  Executive Director, World Peace Foundation, Tufts University.  Mamadou Goita, Member, International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems.  Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director, Sunway Centre for Planetary...

The first senior Israeli official has resigned over Hamas' October attack. The military intelligence chief took responsibility for major security failures. What message does it send during Israel's war on Gaza? And could it be the first step towards accountability? In this episode: Daniel Levy, President, U.S. / Middle East Project. Antony Loewenstein, Author, 'The Palestine Laboratory'.  Gideon Levy, Columnist, Haaretz.  Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts...

Rafah in southern Gaza, the last refuge for 1.5 million Palestinians, is sheltering in fear of an Israeli ground invasion. The US and European allies are all opposed. So will Israel push ahead regardless? What would be the consequences? In this episode: Kholoud Jwefil, Economic Justice Officer, Oxfam.  Robert Geist Pinfold, Peace and Security Lecturer, Durham University. Hisham Mhanna, Spokesman in Gaza, International Committee of the Red Cross. Host: James Bays Connect with...

The US House of Representatives agrees to a 61 billion dollar aid package to Ukraine after months of political wrangling. More than a-third will go to weapons to battle Russian forces.Will this help end the war? Or will it just prolong the fighting? In this episode: Chris Hedges, Former Middle East Bureau Chief, New York Times. Anatol Lieven, Director, Eurasia Programme, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Patrick Bury, Defence and Security Analyst. Host: Tom...

Six weeks of voting in an election where India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a third term. Opponents say repression and sectarianism have increased under his leadership. So, what are the issues for Indians? And will this election be free and fair? In this episode: Mohan Krishna, Spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP. Arshpreet Khadial, Chief Spokesperson, Indian National Congress. Sravasti Dasgupta - Reporter, The Wire.  Host: Sami Zeidan Connect with...

Iran has shot down Israeli drones in the latest confrontation, igniting global calls for restraint. Both east and west are fearful of what more conflict could mean for the region and the world. So, what are Iran and Israel thinking? And what's next? In this episode: Mohammad Marandi, Dean of Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran. Gideon Levy, Columnist for the Haaretz Newspaper. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Professor of Modern Middle East Politics at the University of...

Federal leaders are invited to discuss insecurity and constitutional changes with the aim of ending divisions in Somalia. But with Somali politics so deeply fragmented, is national unity possible? And what role do Somalia's neighbours play in achieving a more peaceful future? In this episode: Abdi Ismail Samatar, Somali Senator for Somaliland. Afyare Elmi, Research Professor at City University of Mogadishu. Omar Mahmood, Senior Analyst for Eastern Africa at the International Crisis...

Why is Pakistan expelling Afghan refugees? Afghanistan says the move is illegal. Pakistan insists it's for security reasons. Is this politically motivated? And how will Taliban officials deal with it? In this episode: Nilofer Afridi Qazi, Social Worker by Trade.  Faiz Zaland, Professor, Political Science, Kabul University.  Devon Cone, Senior Advocate, Women and Girls, Refugees International. Host: James Bays Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts...

A conflict with no end in sight. The war in Sudan is taking a heavy toll on civilians, with millions forced from their homes and on the verge of famine. What does it take to stop the humanitarian crisis? And can diplomacy stop the fighting? In this episode: Hala Al-Karib, Regional Director, Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa. Duncan Riddell, Norwegian Refugee Council.  Host: James Bays Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Will Israel respond to Iran's first ever direct attack? The Israeli government is under pressure not to retaliate, but says it's weighing its options. What could they be? And what would a direct confrontation between the regional rivals mean for an already volatile Middle East? In this episode: Randa Slim, Senior Fellow and Director, Conflict Resolution, Middle East Institute. Robert Geist Pinfold, Lecturer, Peace and Security, Durham University. Akiva Eldar, Political...

For the first time ever, a direct Iranian attack on Israel - a barrage of drones and missiles fired in retaliation for a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Most were shot down, but the world watches with deepening concern. Who'll be saying what to whom to try to bring calm? In this episode: Mohammad Marandi, Professor, University of Tehran. Yossi Mekelberg, Associate Fellow, Chatham House. Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, Huffpost.  Host: James Bays Connect...

Iran is threatening retaliation for the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The US talks up the possibility of an imminent strike by Tehran and vows to defend Israel. How dangerous is the situation? What's the risk of a wider conflict? In this episode: Hassan Ahmadian, Professor, Middle East and North Africa Studies, University of Tehran. Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President, Quincy Institute. Carne Ross, Founder, Independent Diplomat Advisory Group. Host: James...

'Humanity has only two years left to save the world' - according to the UN's climate chief.As more people worldwide deal with record-breaking temperatures and natural disasters, what more can be done to cut emissions and cool our heating planet? In this episode: Patrick Ten Brink, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau. John Sweeney, Professor Emeritus at Maynooth University. Suzanne Lynch, Associate Editor at Politico, Global Playbook Author. Host: Laura Kyle Connect...

The three sons and four grandchildren of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh have been assassinated in Gaza. Their names added to a long list of people killed by Israeli targeted operations worldwide. So, why does Israel pursue such a policy? And what impact does it have? In this episode: Ilan Pappe, Professor of History at Exeter University in the UK. Rami Khouri, Columnist and Analyst. Colin Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Group. Host: Sohail Rahman Connect with...

Germany denies supplying Israel with weapons of war, yet it's one of the staunchest supporters of Israel's war on Gaza. What's behind Germany's position? And what are the long-term consequences for its diplomacy in the Middle East? In this episode: Tobias Bacherle, Member of the German Parliament and a political scientist. John Kampfner, Author and Journalist. Shir Hever, Director of the Alliance for Justice between Israelis and Palestinians. Host: Laura Kyle Connect with...

Germany is complicit in Israel's genocide in Gaza and that must end, according to Nicaragua's argument before the UN's top court. Germany says Nicaragua has a one-sided view of the war in Gaza. So, what does this case mean for countries supplying Israel with weapons? In this episode: Matthias Goldmann, Senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute. Diana Buttu, Palestinian lawyer. Kenneth Roth, Sisiting professor at the Princeton School for Public and International Affairs.  Host:...

Is Myanmar's military losing ground? A daring attack by rebel groups is seen as a turning point. The country has been in turmoil since a coup three years ago. So, is Myanmar on a path to civil war? And what would that mean for the region? In this episode: Khin Ohmar, Spokesperson, Progressive Voice.  Kim Jolliffe, Independent Consultant, Myanmar.  Nicholas Bequelin, Visiting Fellow, Paul Tsai China Center, Yale Law School.  Host: James Bays Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts...