The Foreign Desk

In the first episode of a four-part series exploring the end of communism in Eastern Europe, we look at the fall of the Berlin Wall, 30 years ago this week, and ask when and where the cracks began. Andrew Mueller is joined by Artemy Kalinovsky, Serhii Plokhii and Cerstin Gammelin to discuss the Afghan–Soviet War, the Chernobyl disaster and the fall of the Wall itself.

Yet more testimonies have been released by those investigating Donald Trump’s phone call to Ukraine’s President Zelensky. Andrew Mueller asks if this might be the scandal that actually unseats the US leader.

The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Isis, will not have been upsetting to many. But it did serve as a reminder of how much warfare has changed this century. Who gets to decide who is captured and who is killed? What does targeted killing do for the reputations of those who employ the strategy? And does it really protect us from terrorists or is it just old-fashioned vengeance? Andrew Mueller is joined by Lew Lukens, Claire Finkelstein and Lina Khatib.

Just weeks after winning the Nobel Peace prize for his outreach to Eritrea, Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed warned Egypt that “no force” can stop Ethiopia from building a dam that had been planned for years. Andrew Mueller asks if this is really the rhetoric of a Nobel Peace laureate and why this dam across the River Nile warrants such sabre rattling.

Special episode in association with the Nordic Council of Ministers. ‘The Foreign Desk’ has teamed up with the Nordic Council of Ministers for a series of five special episodes that delve deeper into topics of global importance from the region. This episode looks at the growing threats to democracy in this most democratic part of the world. Michael Booth finds out how grassroots democracy festivals are keeping Nordic politicians honest, how Google is tackling disinformation campaigns and what happened when one Finnish journalist took on the Russian trolls.

As people across the world are taking to the streets, Andrew Mueller explains why there’s optimism around protests in Lebanon, where demonstrators are calling for the government to resign over a tax on WhatsApp calls.

When US president Donald Trump withdrew US troops from Syria, he bewildered many among his own military, intelligence and foreign-policy establishments. But, most of all, his decision dismayed the Kurds of Northern Syria, long-serving allies to the US in the fight against Isis. As Turkish forces roll into the region known as Rojava, what, if anything, can the Kurds do to stop them?

Tunisia has just elected a new president and it’s only the second time it has ever done so. Kais Saied is a big favourite among Tunisia’s impatient youth – but can he meet their expectations?

In an ever more monitored world, escaping to the high seas might seem like a romantic idea. For some, however, being that far off the grid means being exploited, often while undertaking illicit activities. Who should be controlling what happens on the world’s oceans, and what’s being done to help those suffering at the hands of modern-day buccaneers, mercenaries and smugglers? Andrew Mueller is joined by journalist Ian Urbina, David Hammond from Human Rights at Sea and Alessio Patalano from King's College London.

This week Donald Trump announced that he would not stop Turkish troops entering northern Syria, opening a path to the Kurdish people who live there. In doing so he allowed history to repeat itself: the Kurds are no strangers to being forgotten, ignored and openly betrayed by the international community. Andrew Mueller explores a shameful history.