The Inside Story Podcast

Alexander Lukashenko insists he's not going anywhere, despite a month of protests against the Belarusian president's disputed re-election. On Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters ignored government warnings to demand a new vote, saying last month's election was rigged.

Police were seen dragging away or beating demonstrators.

Friends of a high-profile opposition leader, Maria Kolesnikova, say masked men abducted her.

So, how much longer can Alexander Lukashenko hold on to power?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Jaroslav Romanchuk - Former Belarusian Opposition Presidential candidate

Franak Viacorka - Non-Resident Fellow, Atlantic Council

Vladimir Sotnikov - Political Scientist, Russia Academy of Sciences

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Belarus #Lukashenko

The death of black American George Floyd while being arrested in the U.S. has triggered more than three months of protests against police brutality and racism.

Although the rallies have been largely peaceful, cities such as Portland have become flash points for unrest.

The issue is creating more division in the country, less than two months out from the presidential election.

Can anything bridge the divide?

Presenter: Kim Vinnell

Guests:

Maurice Jackson - Associate Professor of African American History, Georgetown University

Seneca Cayson - Lead protester in Portland, Oregon

Derrick Plummer - Political strategist and consultant

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #BlackLivesMatter

Star footballer Lionel Messi has been forced to back down in his attempt to leave his lifelong football club FC Barcelona.

The Argentine ended weeks of speculation by announcing he'd reluctantly decided to stay for one more season.

Messi said he would see out his contract until next year to avoid taking the club to court.

The player wanted to leave on a free transfer - but Barca and the Spanish league say he's bound by a $837 million buyout clause.

So, what does Messi's dispute with his club tell us about footballers' contracts?

Presenter: Kim Vinnell

Guests

Rob Wilson, Football finance expert and Head of Department of Finance, Accounting & Business Systems at Sheffied Hallam University

Gemma Soler, football reporter and presenter for Gol TV

Andrew Nixon, Sports lawyer and partner at Sheridans, a sports law group.

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Messi

Facebook has announced steps to prevent its platform being exploited in the week leading up to the US presidential vote.

It will stop accepting new political ads seven days before the November 3 election.

But it'll continue to show what's already in the system.

The social media giant has been criticised for allowing political ads to be 'micro-targeted' - so they're only seen by small and select communities, instead of being debated by a wider audience.

It's also accused of not doing enough to fact-check articles on its platforms.

So, will this move work?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra

Guests

James Warren, Executive Editor, NewsGuard, a fact checking platform.

Jim Anderson, CEO of Social Flow , a tech company that helps media companies distribute social content.

Alan Schroeder, Professor at Northeastern University and author of 'Presidential Debates: Risky Business on the Campaign Trail'.

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Facebook #USElection2020

Two decades ago, former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe violently evicted thousands of white farmers and gave the properties to black families.

Critics argue the policy destroyed the economy.

The government of Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa says foreign white farmers can apply to have the land back.

It follows an agreement in July to pay 3.5 billion dollars in compensation.

Will these measures resolve one of the most divisive policies in Zimbabwe's history?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra

Guests:

Vince Musewe - Economist and Investment Consultant

Obert Gutu - Former Spokesman, Movement for Democratic Change

Rejoice Ngwenya - Political Analyst

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Zimbabwe #InsideStory

Many royal family members in Saudi Arabia have been sacked or detained ever since Mohammed Bin Salman was appointed Crown Prince three years ago.

Two princes are the latest to be purged.

Fahd bin Turki, the commander of the Saudi-led war in Yemen, and his son have been sacked and put under investigation for alleged corruption.

Are the firings due to 'corruption', or Bin Salman's attempt to silence his critics?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Abdulaziz Almoayyad -Founding member, Saudi Diaspora Party

Bill Law - Editor, Arab Digest newsletter

Ali Al-Ahmed - Director, Institute for Gulf Affairs

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Saudi #Corruption #MBS

After nearly 20 years of conflict, Sudan's transitional government and rebels have agreed to end fighting in the Darfur region, as well as the states of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile.

South Sudan helped to negotiate the peace agreement.

However, at least two armed groups refused to sign the deal, and previous accords failed to end the killings.

Will this latest agreement hold?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Alex De Waal - Executive Director, World Peace Foundation

Jamelah Ahmed - Member, Sudan Task Force

Cameron Hudson - Former Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Sudan

The coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to take a step back from our daily routines.

We now spend more time at home, working remotely and relying on the internet for the latest updates.

But there's also been an unprecedented rise in misinformation.

Conspiracy theories have even led to injuries and deaths as people believe false and dangerous rumours posing as medical advice.

And discrimination, stigmatization, racism and hate speech have also increased because of these campaigns

So, how do we fight this? And is some of the misinformation being put out deliberately?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests:

Guy Berger - Director of Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO.

Dr. Hanan Abdul Rahim - Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Qatar University.

Omar Suleiman - Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

As governments ease coronavirus lockdowns, they've imposed safety measures like mandatory face coverings and social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Tens of thousands of protesters defied bans on mass gatherings to attend 'anti-Corona' rallies in Europe.

But government leaders insist the restrictions must stay in place, especially as cooler months approach in the northern hemisphere.

So, how should we balance our rights while reducing new infections?

Presenter: Halla Mohieddeen

Guests:

Heidi Larson - Director, The Vaccine Confidence Project.

Dr Bharat Pankhania - Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Exeter Medical School

Donna Dawson - Psychologist

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Coronavirus #InsideStory

The surprise resignation of Japan's Prime Miniser Shinzo Abe sent shockwaves through the country's political establishment.

The 65-year-old quit citing health reasons related to ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease he's lived with since he was a teenager.

Abe apologised to the Japanese people and said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision-making.

Described as a nationalist, he's struggled to introduce aggressive economic reforms.

So how far has he succeeded?

And how will Japanese remember him?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests

Tomohiko Taniguchi, Special Adviser to the Cabinet of Shinzo Abe and professor at Keio University.

Lauren Richardson, Director of Studies at Australian National University's Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy.

David Leheny, Professor of Japanese politics at Waseda University.

- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish

- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera

- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#AlJazeeraEnglish #Japan #ShinzoAbe