The Inside Story Podcast

Children in the Netherlands have grown up with the image of Black Pete, a helper for St Nicholas, an equivalent of Santa Claus.

The character is controversial, as it is usually portrayed by a white person wearing blackface makeup with an afro wig.

Black people call it a racist caricature, but defenders say it's a harmless tradition.

In a year of Black Lives Matter protests, is it time to give up this divisive figure?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Mitchell Esajas - Activist, Anti-Black Pete Movement

Tracy Bibo-Tansia - Political Scientist and activist

Patrick Vernon - Cultural Historian

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#Netherlands #BlackPete #ZwartePiet

More than 60% of India's population rely on agriculture for a living.

But farmers who've long been a crucial voting bloc, often complain of being ignored.

And now they're worried they could be exploited by agriculture reforms .

The laws seek to loosen rules around the sale, pricing and storage of farm produce.

Farmers fear the new free market system means they'll lose government-backed minimum price guarantees.

They've tried to march on the capital New Delhi, but were stopped by police using tear gas and batons.

So what are the political risks for Modi?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests

Dipa Sinha, Assistant Professor of Economics at Ambedkar University Delhi.

Nikita Sud, Associate Professor of Development Studies at Oxford Department of International Development.

R.S. Deshpande, agriculture policy specialist and the former Director at Institute for Social and Economic Change.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #India #InsideStory

Ties between Australia and China are unravelling fast.

Beijing has imposed a tariff of up to 212 percent on Australian wine, the latest in an escalating dispute.

China says it's a measure against dumping to protect its own wine industry.

But Australia believes the reason's political.

The government in Canberra has criticised China's handling of COVID-19, as well as human rights issues in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

Is there room to repair the relationship?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Einar Tangen - Political analyst specialising in China affairs.

Pauline Loong - Managing Director of Asia-Analytica, a research consultancy firm.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Australia #China #InsideStory

Three weeks have passed since Ethiopia's government sent soldiers into Tigray.

Now Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed has ordered troops to carry out a final assault against the northern region's government - the Tigray People's Liberation Front or TPLF.

The conflict has forced 43,000 people to seek refuge in Sudan.

So what is needed to end the fighting?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Samuel Getachew - Journalist, The Reporter

Ann Fitz-Gerald -Balsillie School of International Affairs

William Davison - International Crisis Group

N.B.: The Ethiopian government declined Inside Story's request for a representative to join the discussion.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Tigray

Drugmakers are racing to have COVID-19 vaccines approved after releasing promising early results.

It's raising hopes that the pandemic can be brought under control.

The head of Australia's national airline, Qantas, says vaccines should be mandatory for international travel in future.

However, surveys suggest some people are not willing to take the shot.

So what's behind the hesitation?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Dr Mati Hlatshwayo Davis - Infectious Disease Physician, Washington University School of Medicine

Shabir Madhi - Professor of Vaccinology, University of the Witwatersrand

Oksana Pyzik - Senior Lecturer and Global Health Adviser, University College London School of Pharmacy

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Although the death penalty been abolished in much of the world, it's still carried out in at least 54 countries.

The US Justice Department has now allowed more methods, and last week, the US was one of 39 countries that rejected a UN resolution for a moratorium on capital punishment.

So why is the death penalty still favoured in many places?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Stephanie McLennan - Human Rights Watch

Hamed Mousavi - Professor of Political Science, Tehran University.

Ian Woods - Author of 'Surviving Execution: A Miscarriage of Justice and the Fight to End the Death Penalty'

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #DeathPenalty #US

The climate crisis is an "urgent national security issue" says Joe Biden's team.

So he's given former secretary of state John Kerry a seat on the national security council to drive home his commitment to the environment

Kerry has been sharply critical of Donald Trumps' dismantling of climate policies.

He will join a National Security team that, Biden says is "ready to lead the world, not retreat from it".

Kerry was a leading architect of the 2015 Paris agreement which the president-elect has pledged to rejoin

How will that affect global ambitions to tackle the crisis?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests

Bill McKibben, Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and leader of the climate campaign group 350-dot-org.

Nick Mabey, Chief Executive of the climate change think tank E3G

Michael Dorsey, Co-Founder of the Sunrise Movement and former EPA National Advisory Committee member during the Obama administration.

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China has long been pushing for a greater role in global internet governance

Now it says it wants to build a common cyberspace community.

President Xi Jinping says his nation is ready to cooperate on a shared internet infrastructure with other countries.

China strictly controls the internet and censors its content.

It recently proposed regulations that could restrict the powers of tech companies.

And it's being accused by the US of using the internet to pose security threats.

Guests:

Einar Tangen, China expert

Jody Westby, cyber security specialist

Max Eiza, Lecturer at university of Central Lancashire

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The air quality in India's capital is known to be among the world's worst.

But at this time of the year, pollution in New Delhi soars.

A huge cloud of smog settles over the city as wind speeds slow down during winter.

It's full of air pollutants from vehicle exhaust, construction dust, industrial emissions and crop burning

On normal days, that's very harmful and can cause eye and nose infections, and lung diseases.

But during the coronavirus pandemic, those health risks can be even more challenging.

So, what can be done to avoid a disaster?

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Uganda's election campaign is off to a violent start.

At least 37 people have died in protests triggered by the arrest of opposition figure Bobi Wine.

Wine says he was tortured in detention.

The government is blaming Wine's supporters for the unrest.

So just how much of a threat is he to President Yoweri Museveni in next January's vote?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Kizza Besigye - Four-time presidential candidate and patron of the opposition party FDC

Andrew Mwenda - Founder, The Independent magazine

Marion Kirabo - Politician and Social Movement Campaigner

Oryem Nyeko - Africa Researcher, Human Rights Watch

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#InsideStory #Uganda #BobiWine