The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on the claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Twenty years later, it is clear that this was not the case, and many question the legitimacy of the decision to go to war. As we reflect on the past two decades, we consider the consequences and costs of the invasion, including its impact on Iraq, the Middle East, and the United States. Guests: Ali Al-Dabbagh Former Iraqi government spokesman Thomas S. Warrick Director of The...

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister, is scheduled to attend court proceedings on Saturday after a contentious arrest warrant was lifted. He will be charged with selling state gifts for personal profit. Is this a fair implementation of justice, or is it a ploy by political adversaries to bring Khan down? Guests: Ahsan Iqbal Minister of Planning, Development and Reforms Asad Rahim Khan Barrister and Constitutional Lawyer Imran Ismail Founding Member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

A Chinese brokered deal between the adversaries has some praising a move toward peace, while others fear it could undermine the US and threaten Israel. Is there a possibility of transforming the hostile relationship into a constructive partnership, or does it pose a threat to the US and Israel while leaving other regional players at a disadvantageous position? Guests: Mohammad Marandi Professor of English at Tehran University Fahad Al-Shelaimi Head of the Gulf Peace and Security...

Georgia is facing political unrest. Major protests against a proposed anti-democratic 'foreign agents' bill swept the country. But after the bill's was scraped, pro-Russian groups staged demonstrations, tearing down an EU flag. Can Georgia's government continue to maintain a balance between its ties to the West and its relationships with Russia, without risking instability and its democratic values? Guests: Sergi Kapanadze Former Vice Speaker of Georgian Parliament Temuri...

As the battle for Bakhmut continues, casualties rise and Ukrainian troops are being pushed to the city's western edge. With Russian troops closing in from the north and south, the outcome remains uncertain. However, recent reports indicate that Russia's advance may have stalled. Will Ukraine manage to hold on or will the city fall? Guests: William Courtney Former Assistant to US President for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Peter Zalmayev Eurasia Democracy Initiative Director Sergey...

Israelis are expressing their anger over the proposed changes to the judiciary system, by demonstrating en masse. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the changes to the judicial system are necessary to restore the balance of power, but critics argue that it would result in the destruction of Israel's democracy. Is Israel on the brink of a constitutional crisis? Guests: Eli Hazan Foreign Affairs Director at the Likud Party Jeremy Saltan Former Knesset Faction Director of the...

15-minute cities have become a hotly debated topic among experts, with some arguing that it offers a path towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. However, critics contend that it poses a threat to personal liberties, and could potentially result in the kind of authoritarian control depicted in popular dystopian novels like "The Hunger Games." Guests: Carlton Reid Journalist David Campbell Bannerman Chairman of The Freedom Association Joe McReynolds Urbanist

Despite ongoing protests in Sri Lanka, the government has almost secured a $2.9 billion loan from the IMF, according to the Central Bank Governor. But will this be enough to calm the situation in the island nation. Guests: Aruna Kulatunga Former Advisor to President Ranil Wickremesinghe Ruki Fernando Human Rights Activist Thyagi Ruwanpathirana South Asia Researcher at Amnesty International

The US government argues that TikTok poses a national security threat by allowing user data to be accessed by the Chinese government, while China claims that the US is disregarding the principles of fair competition. TikTok, on the other hand, dismisses these accusations as "political theatre." Amidst these conflicting claims, we search for the truth on. Guests: Darrell West Vice President of Governance Studies at Brookings Institute Gillian Diebold Policy Analyst at the Center for Data...

With so many crises facing the planet, Myanmar's Muslim minority has been mostly left to fend for itself as refugees in Bangladesh. While the World Food Program cuts funding for food in Rohingya camps, Dhaka is left asking the world for help. We are joined by the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shahriar Alam to discuss the Rohingya minority and other issues facing the country. Guest: Shahriar Alam Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh

One month on from the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye, the daunting task of rebuilding begins as thousands of apartment blocks lie in ruins. Across the country, people are still recovering from serious injuries sustained in the disaster, while warnings of secondary diseases remain a significant concern. Guests: Oren Rozner Israeli Search and Rescue Team Jean-Nicolas Dangelser Emergency Prepardness Coordinator at MSF Levent Ozturk Head of Yardim Konvoyu Dr Mufaddal Hamadeh Former...

It's been a month since the deadliest earthquake in Türkiye's modern history. Now the country faces the daunting task of debris disposal. The picture is very different to just days after the quakes when volunteers from around the world rushed to the country to lend their support to rescue missions. They risked their own lives to save lives. But now that they've returned home, how are they digesting their experience? Guests: Rizwan Naseer Rescue 1122 Director General David O'Neill Head of...

It's been a month since the deadliest earthquake in Türkiye's modern history. Now the country faces the daunting task of debris disposal. The picture is very different to just days after the quakes when volunteers from around the world rushed to the country to lend their support to rescue missions. They risked their own lives to save lives. But now that they've returned home, how are they digesting their experience? Guests: Rizwan Naseer Rescue 1122 Director General David O'Neill Head of...

Following months of negotiations, the EU and Britian have established the Windsor Framework, a new post-Brexit arrangement for Northern Ireland. The agreement seeks to address the issues within the Northern Ireland Protocol that have caused tension between the EU and UK. However, will all parties involved agree to the terms of the new deal? Guests: David Campbell Bannerman Chairman of The Freedom Association Femi Oluwole Political Commentator Denis MacShane Former Europe Minister

Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress Party has emerged as the winner of the Nigerian election four days after voting. However, the opposition has raised concerns over allegations of voter intimidation, low turnout, and widespread delays. How free and fair was the election? Guests: Ier Jonathan-Ichaver Parliamentary Candidate with the African Democratic Congress Kayode Ogundamisi Political Commentator on Nigerian Politics and International Affairs Philip Idaewor Former Chair of...

Moldova, a small nation that shares a border with Ukraine, is experiencing increased tensions amid allegations that Moscow is behind a pro-Russian coup in the country. Guests: Viktor Olevich Lead Expert at the Center for Actual Politics Alexandru Flenchea Former Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Vlad Lupan Former Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the UN in New York

Russia has halted its involvement in the New START treaty - the sole remaining arms control agreement. As a result, both the United States and Russia's nuclear warheads will be without monitoring for the first time in 50 years, creating concerns about a potential nuclear arms race. Guests: David Jonas Adjunct Professor of Law at George Washington University Sergey Markov Former Member of Russian Parliament John Erath Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Director Paul...

As Ukrainians struggle through a cold dark winter, President Volodmyr Zelenskyy vows to keep fighting against Russia. But will the massive support for Ukraine endure for another year, and is there any room for negotiations. Guests: Victor Olevich Lead Expert at the Center for Actual Politics Peter Zalmayev Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative

Helping pull hundreds from the rubble and aiding the injured, thousands of local and foreign volunteers have rushed to assist millions affected by the earthquake. But what's the cost to these heroes? We look at the psychological toll it takes working in and witnessing one of the worst natural disasters of the century. Guests: Dilek Aygun Psychotherapist Ismail Alabdullah The White Helmets Volunteer Halit Karakaya West London Turkish Volunteers Spokesperson Mehmet Yuksel Founder...

After the twin earthquakes on February 6th, volunteers from more than 80 countries rushed to Türkiye's aid, with specialised skills and equipment. They searched for survivors, set up tents, made meals, and provided psychological support. Many have left, but hundreds still help those who lost everything. We report on the major effort of the volunteers and the toll it takes on them.

As Türkiye's rescue operations transition to the recovery phase, the somber task of identifying victims persists. Law enforcement teams and forensic specialists are currently reaching out to surviving relatives to communicate the heartbreaking news nobody wants to receive. Guests: Durmus Aydin Secretary General of IHH David Ranson Deputy Director at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Jay Silverstein Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University's Forensics Institute

As rescue efforts end and recovery begins, identifying earthquake victims is a crucial task, especially in the aftermath of a disaster of this scale. Victim identification is essential in providing families with closure and the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones. We speak with Interpol about what methods are utilised for victim identification.

Türkiye was hit by two massive quakes only two weeks ago, leaving countless traumatised survivors in its wake. But around the world, other earthquake survivors have spent years trying to rebuild. We will discuss with our guests where some of their efforts stand, both logistically and psychologically, after massive disasters levelled their lives. Guests: Daniele Coltellese Italian Earthquake Survivor Lorenzo Massucchielli Head of International Emergencies at Italian Red Cross Stefano...

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria, killing over a thousand people as multiple buildings collapsed. Crews, battling bad weather, are working frantically to pull people out from the debris. Guests: Durmus Aydin Secretary General of IHH Bahadir Aktug Seismologist Chris Elders Visiting Professor at School of Earth and Planetary Sciences

OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot is taking the world by storm. The new artificial intelligence language model has the potential to revolutionise communication and information access, but what are the consequences? Guests: Mark Bryan Senior Foresight Manager at the Future Today Institute Alexandra Seymour Associate Fellow at CNAS Eerke Boiten Cyber Security Professor at De Montfort University Leicester Tobias Zwingmann Managing Partner of Rapyd.ai