Afghanistan is in on the brink of the worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory: the economy is in a tailspin, famine is looming, food prices are skyrocketing, formal sector jobs have disappeared, and cash is scarce. The International Crisis Group’s Laurel Miller and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan P. Michael McKinley join Deep Dish to explain what led us here after the abrupt US exit five months ago and why it’s not too late for solutions.  Take our listener survey! 

At least 164 people are dead and thousands are imprisoned after mysterious instigators overtook Kazakhstan’s peaceful protests and Russian troops brutally cracked down on demonstrators. Journalist Joanna Lillis and researcher Nargis Kassenova join Deep Dish to unpack the domestic politics driving civil society action and whether Kremlin interference is the new norm in a critically important country for Russia, China, and the United States.  

Don't forget to share your feedback about our show in our listener survey!

One year after the attack on the United States Capitol, 64 percent of Americans believe US democracy is "in crisis and at risk of failing," an NPR/Ipsos poll revealed this week. Democracy expert Larry Diamond joins Deep Dish to explain why democracy has been declining around the world for the last 15 years and offer urgent solutions to stop its retreat.  

If you’re a Deep Dish subscriber, don’t forget to share your thoughts in our listener survey.

A major Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border has the international community concerned about the possibility of an invasion. The Atlantic Council’s Melinda Haring and George Washington University’s Maria Snegovaya join Deep Dish to explain the factors driving Russia’s threats against Ukraine, what’s going on in Putin’s mind, and why this conflict matters for the world.

Share your feedback about our show in our new listener survey!

Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine is dominating headlines, but another crisis looms in Eastern Europe: the Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina experts Jasmin Mujanović and Patrice McMahon join Deep Dish to explain why the risk of conflict is so high and how Europe and the United States can help ensure more than a decade of peace continues.  

This holiday season we’re all seeing the impact of shifts in the global trade system firsthand while shopping: shortages, high prices, and long shipping delays. The Economist’s Soumaya Keynes joins Deep Dish to explain why this situation is about more than just supply chains or COVID-19—it's about politics and the way our world is dismantling the rules-based trade system.  

Deep Dish is taking this week off for the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, but we'll be back next week with a new episode! In the meantime, here’s a quick note about Giving Tuesday. We’re able to make this show because of the support from our community of listeners —people like you!   Would you consider making a tax-deductible gift this upcoming Giving Tuesday so that we can keep bringing you Deep Dish each week? To make a gift, just go to our website.   Thank you for your generosity and join us next week for another slice of Deep Dish! 

-The Deep Dish team

At least 2,000 Middle Eastern migrants spent weeks trapped at checkpoints between Belarus and Poland—unable to legally enter the European Union and, until today, unable to return to Belarus or go home. Former US Ambassador to Poland Daniel Fried joins host Brian Hanson on Deep Dish to explain how Belarus’ strongman President Lukashenka weaponized these migrants as a tool of "hybrid war," and why Russia’s President Putin looms behind this crisis—and others—on Europe’s doorstep.

As countries finalize their commitments at the UN Climate Conference, COP26, soaring global energy prices and shortages around the world emphasize our world’s current dependence on fossil fuels. The Economist’s Vijay Vaitheeswaran and the Just Transition Initiative’s Sandeep Pai join Deep Dish to explain what the energy crisis tell us about the costs of a green energy transition and how to manage shocks in a way that ensures countries and communities with fewer resources are not left behind. 

Recent US intelligence and defense agency reports warn that a warming climate is a fundamental threat to US national security by raising geopolitical tensions, increasing instability, and driving mass migration. The Center for Climate and Security’s Erin Sikorsky and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft’s Anatol Lieven join Deep Dish to examine what a climate-focused US national security and defense strategy might look like and how to balance other competing threats.