The Foreign Desk

Last week the US Congress held a bizarre hearing on UFOs, which included explosive testimony about alien spacecraft defying laws of physics. What did we learn from America’s UFO hearing? Why do people latch onto conspiracy theories? And what does this mean for democracies? Andrew Mueller speaks to Marina Koren, Tom Nichols, Will Sommer and Richard Evans.

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Andrew Mueller looks at the coup in Niger as a symptom of the discontent rippling through West Africa.

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In this special episode, Andrew Mueller sits down with former CIA director David H Petraeus to discuss the Wagner mutiny and western support for the war in Ukraine. 

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Andrew Mueller explains what happened in Spain’s snap election and what is likely to come next.

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In this episode recorded at the Nato summit in Vilnius, we examine the high-priority issues dominating the in-trays of foreign and defence ministers. Andrew Mueller speaks to the ministers of foreign affairs of Finland, Iceland and the Czech Republic, and to Estonia’s minister of defence. 

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Hun Sen has been Cambodia’s prime minister since 1984. Andrew Mueller explains how he has remained in power for so long and why he will be reelected this weekend.

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In this special episode, the team travels to Vilnius for a historic Nato summit. What’s in store for the alliance and when will Ukraine be joining? Andrew Mueller speaks to the prime minister of Bulgaria, Nikolai Denkov; Benedetta Berti-Alberti; Ambassador Andrej Benedejcic; and Daria Kaleniuk.

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Nato members are conflicted after the US announced that it would supply Ukraine with surplus cluster bombs. Andrew Mueller discusses the controversial decision and why the besieged country wants the munitions.

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Militaries around the world are enlisting novelists to dream up the wars of the future. What can defence experts learn from science fiction? Andrew Mueller speaks to political scientist Peter Singer, general Sir Richard Shirreff, major general Mick Ryan and Nato’s Ruben Diaz-Plaja.

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An incident during an England-Australia cricket match this week has spilled into the geopolitical sphere as prime ministers, Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese, both issued pointed statements toward each other. Andrew Mueller explains why it’s such big news for all those who might find themselves stumped. 

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