LATEST Digital Authoritarianism WITH ELLERY BIDDLE Analysis with journalist Ellery Biddle on clampdowns on digital rights , listen on how internet shutdowns are affecting wars and conflicts as well as how the nexus of tech companies and authoritarian regimes are herding political behaviour with little chance of any meaningful regulation on the horizon. 2023: A year in focus for women journalists WITH KIRAN NAZISH Kiran Nazish, journalist and Founding Director of The Coalition For Women in Journalism, shines a lights on three wars and conflicts with the specific purpose of seeing how they’re affecting women journalists covering them.The focus is on the war between Isreal and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the war between Russia and Ukraine and the violent unrest in Iran linked to protests demanding women’s freedom. Libya’s elusive electionsWITH RHIANNON SMITH ELECTIONS IN LIBYA ARE PENDING SINCE 2021. BUT THE WRANGLE TO ESTABLISH AND FOLLOW THROUGH A FRAMEWORK UNDER WHICH THEY CAN TAKE PLACE IS STILL ONGOING. RHIANNON SMITH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LIBYA ANALYSIS EXPLAINS SOME OF THE STUMBLING BLOCKS IN ITS WAY. Women journalists under Taliban rulewith Zahra Nader Afghan journalist, Zahra Nader provides a focus on the consequences for women journalists in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country two years on. She gives a picture of the media in the country before the new regime swept to power, how today women journalists are exploited and what setting up of a women lead investigative newsroom, Zan Times means to her. Gabon and Niger coups in focuswith Beverly Ochieng BBC journalist Beverly Ochieng unpicks the many layers of the events including the implications on Gabon’s natural resources and its links to France as well as Niger’s military leaders leaning towards Russia and the growing influence of its Wagner mercenary group. ICC’s successes and limits with ALICE SPERI JOURNALIST AND REPORTER FOR THE INTERCEPT, ALICE SPERIA, DISCUSSES THE ISSUES OF BRINGING ALLEGED PERPETRATORS OF WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND GENOCIDE TO ACCOUNT IN THE CONTEXT OF:THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WARTHE ONGOING CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT Sudan’s Power Strugglewith OLA DIAB & SARA LINNOINEN SUDANESE JOURNALIST OLA DIAB AND EAST AFRICA ANALYST SARA LINNOINEN PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO SUDAN’S POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN ITS GENERALS, ABDEL FATTAH AL-BURHAN AND MOHAMMED HAMDAN DAGALO. AS THEY VIE TO HOLD ON TO THE REIGNS OF POWER THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY IS RAPIDLY DETERIORATING AS A RESULT OF THEIR FIGHTING. Israel’s political turmoilwith SARAH LEAH WHITSON SARAH LEAH WHITSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DAWN, TAKES A LOOK AT ISRAEL’S CURRENT INTERNAL POLITICAL TURMOIL AND LINKS TO THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE THAT EBBS AND FLOWS IN THIS REGION.AMONG A NUMBER OF CONTENTIOUS PROPOSALS DRIVING THE POLITICAL DISCONTENT IS ISRAEL GOVERNMENT’S PLANS TO OVERHAUL ITS SUPREME COURT RULING AND GIVE POLITICIANS THE POWER TO APPOINT JUSTICES TO ITS BENCH. Afghanistan’s volatile securitywith LYNNE O’DONNELL LYNNE O’DONNELL, JOURNALIST, AUTHOR AND WAR CORRESPONDENT, DISCUSSES THE CURRENT SECURITY SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ALLIED FORCES IN AUGUST 2021. POINTS OF DISCUSSION: THE INFIGHTING FOR POWER AND SUPREMACY AMONG TALIBAN FACTIONS, THEIR TRANSNATIONAL JIHADIST AMBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S COMPLIANCE WITH THE TALIBAN WHEN THEY ARE NOT YET RECOGNISED AS A LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR LONGSTANDING CORDIAL RELATIONS WITH IRAN AND CHINA. Colombia: Civilians caught-up in ongoing violence with CHRISTINA NORIEGA JOURNALIST, WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTINA NORIEGA GIVES HER ANALYSIS ON THE LATEST ON THE CIVILIANS CAUGHT UP IN VIOLENCE AT THE HANDS OF GUERRILLA GROUPS, DISSIDENTS, PARAMILITARIES AND DRUG TRAFFICKERS Special Extended EpisodeERICA MORET // AFRAH NASSER // LUCY KASSA // NEGAR MOJTAHEDI // DALIA HATUQA // LAURIE TREFFERS // LIAN BUAN // MELISSA ROBERTS SPECIAL END OF YEAR EXTENDED EPISODE WITH A FOCUS ON:UKRAINE WITH ERICA MORATYEMEN WITH AFRAH NASSER TIGRAY WITH LUCY KASSAIRAN WITH NEGAR MOJTAHEDI PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES WITH DALIA HATUQA AND LAURIE TREFFERSPHILIPPINES WITH LIAN BUANAND AN INTERVIEW WITH MELISSA ROBERTS CO-EDITOR OF BOOK, THROUGH HER EYES: AUSTRALIA’S WOMEN CORRESPONDENTS Military AI and Droneswith Dr CATHERINE CONNOLLY CATHERINE CONNOLLY, THE AUTOMATED DECISION RESEARCH MANAGER AT STOP KILLER ROBOTS, PROVIDES A FOCUS ON HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS MAKING WEAPONS MORE ADVANCE, LEADING TO QUESTION ITS ETHICAL, HUMANITARIAN AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS. PEACEKEEPING AND POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION IN AFRICAwith PROFESSOR NINA WILEN NINA WILEN, DIRECTOR OF THE AFRICA PROGRAMME AT THE EGMONT INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS GIVES HER ANALYSIS ON PEACE AND POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION IN MANY OF AFRICA’S TROUBLED COUNTRIES. SHE EXPLORES WHICH ARE THE MOST AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE AND UNREST, WHAT IS THE GENDER ASPECT OF PEACEKEEPING AND HOW MILITARY INSTITUTIONS ADJUST TO POST-CONFLICT SOCIETIES. WAR CRIMES TRIALS: THE VALUE OF JOURNALISTS AND RESEARCHERS DIGITAL INVESTIGATIONSwith ALEXA KOENIG ALEXA KOENIG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER AT UC BERKLEY SCHOOL OF LAW, PROVIDES HER INSIGHT INTO THE ROLE OF JOURNALISTS AND RESEARCHERS DIGITAL INVESTIGATIONS AS EVIDENCE IN INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIALS AND TRIBUNALS. THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES SINCE LAST MAY’S MILITARY FLAREUPwith MAIRAV ZONSZEIN MAIRAV ZONSZEIN, CRISIS GROUP’S SENIOR ANALYST ON ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, GIVES HER ASSESSMENT ON THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES SINCE LAST YEAR’S MILITARY FLAREUP BETWEEN ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN FORCE THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN SUDANwith KHOLOOD KHAIR KHOLOOD KHAIR SUDAN POLICY AND POLITICS ANALYST, UNPICKS THE COUNTRY’S CURRENT STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY. SHE LOOKS AT THE DEMANDS OF THE PROTESTERS WHO HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS CALLING FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGES; THE INFLUENCE OF SUDAN’S MILITARY IN ITS POLITICS; THE WAR IN ITS DARFUR REGION AND THE ROLE OF USA IN HELPING TO BRINING ABOUT CHANGES DEMANDED BY THE ORDINARY SUDANESE PEOPLE. ALGERIA-MOROCCO DISPUTE OVER WESTERN SAHARAwith DR. DALIA GHANEM DR. DALIA GHANEM PROVIDES A FOCUS ON THE POLITICAL RIVALRY BETWEEN ALGERIA AND MOROCCO OVER THE DISPUTED TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAHARA. DR GHANEM IS AN ALGERIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST AND SENIOR RESIDENT SCHOLAR AT THE CARNEGIE MIDDLE EAST CENTER. SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES SHE IS SHEDDING LIGHT ON INCLUDE THE GEO-POLITICS OF NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE REGION AND ALGERIA’S AND MOROCCO’S STANCE ON THE CURRENT WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA FOLLOWING ITS INVASION OF UKRAINEwith DR. ERICA MORAT DR ERICA MORAT, COORDINATOR OF THE GENEVA INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS NETWORK AND SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE CENTRE GIVES HER ANALYSIS OF THE LATEST TRENCH OF SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA FOLLOWING ITS WAR ON UKRAINE. INFORMATION WARFARE: WHAT IT MEANS TO RUSSIA AND THE WESTwith MOLLY MCKEW MOLLY MCKEW, WRITER AND LECTURER ON RUSSIAN INFLUENCE & INFORMATION WARFARE, EXPLAINS WHAT INFORMATION WARFARE MEANS IN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENT TENSIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE WEST AND HOW IT’S BEING USED AS A GEOPOLITICAL TOOL.SHE ALSO TALKS ABOUT HOW THE DOCUMENTARY, AFTER TRUTH, IN WHICH SHE TOOK PART, EXPLORES THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES ON ORDINARY PEOPLE’S LIVES. JOURNALIST SAFETY AND TRAUMA WHILE COVERING CONFLICTS with JUDITH MATLOFF JOURNALIST JUDITH MATLOFF DISCUSSES SAFETY AND AT TIMES THE TRAUMA SUFFERED BY THOSE WORKING IN THE MEDIA WHILE REPORTING FROM CONFLICTS AND HOSTILE SITUATIONS.SHE ALSO TALKS ABOUT TWO OF HER MOST RECENT BOOKS:NO FRIENDS BUT THE MOUNTAINS: DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD’S VIOLENT HIGHLANDS ANDHOW TO DRAG A BODY AND OTHER SAFETY TIPS YOU HOPE TO NEVER NEED VIOLENCE AGAINST AID WORKERS IN CONFLICTS with ABBY STODDARD ABBY STODDARD, INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN POLICY ANALYST AND A FORMER AID WORKER DISCUSSED THE DANGERS AID WORKERS FACE IN CONFLICTS AND HOSTILE REGIONS WHERE THEY ARE ALSO OFTEN DELIBERATELY TARGETED. AFGHANISTAN’S HUMANITARIAN CRISISwith LYNNE O’DONNELL SINCE THE TALIBANS TOOK OVER LAST YEAR, AFGHANISTAN’S HUMANITARIAN CRISIS HAS BEEN DEEPENING.THIS INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALIST AND COLUMNIST LYNNE O’DONNELL, WHO IS ALSO A FORMER BUREAU CHIEF IN KABUL FOR AFP AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, PUTS THE SITUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COUNTRY’S LATEST POLITICAL SHIFT. PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN THE KOREAN PENINSULAwith JESSICA J LEE IN THIS EPISODE JESSICA J LEE, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AT THE QUINCY INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT, LOOKS AT WHAT CAN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER REGIONAL POWERS DO TO REDUCE TENSIONS IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA. LATIN AMERICAN CONFLICTS DRVING MIGRATIONwith ANN DESLANDES AN INTERVIEW WITH ANN DESLANDES, WHO IS A MEXICO BASED JOURNALIST, WRITER & RESEARCHER ON SECURITY, INFRASTRUCTURES AND RESOURCES.ANN GIVES A RECENT HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUES INVOLVED, HOW BESIDES WEAK POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS LEADING TO UNREST, MANY LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES ARE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH GANG VIOLENCE AND DRUG TRAFFICKING AND LASTLY HOW CONFLICTS LINKED TO MINING RIGHTS, DEFORESTATION AND RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS POPULATION ARE FORCING PEOPLE TO MIGRATE. YEMEN’S HUMANITARIAN CRISISwith MUNA LUQMAN MUNA LUQMAN, A YEMENI PEACE ACTIVIST WHO IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE GIVES HER VIEWS ON THE CURRENT HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN HER COUNTRY.SHE HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE CAUGHT UP IN THE CONFLICT, THE INCREASING PROBLEM OF SNIPERS CAUSING CASUALTIES AND WHY HAVE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT CREATING PEACE AND IMPROVING THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION HAVE FAILED.