The Inside Story Podcast

Around the world, environmental activists are being arrested, jailed, and even killed for trying to protect our planet.

UK-based group Global Witness has recorded the highest number of murders since it began its annual survey a decade ago.

212 people were killed in 2019 for campaigning against issues such as illegal logging, mining and deforestation.

40 percent of the victims were from indigenous communities.

So what's behind the rise in these attacks? And will the perpetrators be brought to justice?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Chris Madden - Senior Campaigner at Global Witness and author of the report.

Sam Cowie - Multimedia Journalist in Brazil.

Wahyu Perdana - Campaign Manager at the Indonesian Forum for the Environment.

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For years, the 1MDB scandal has shaken Malaysia. Billions of dollars were allegedly looted from a state fund set up to promote development.

A former Prime Minister was implicated as well as a network of foreign companies.

Malaysia's rule of law was put to the test on Tuesday over Najib Razak's involvement.

He was found guilty of all seven charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison on corruption charges . But the judge has allowed a delay in carrying out the sentence.

He's also fined close to fifty million dollars.

It's the first of five corruption trials and is centred on the transfer of nearly $10 million from a former unit of the fund, into Najib's personal accounts.

He denies any wrongdoing, and has said he'll appeal.

So, could this be a step towards rooting out corruption in Malaysia?

And what, if any, are the political ramifications?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests

Ei Sun Oh, former Political Secretary to Najib Razak.

Clare Rewcastle Brown, investigative journalist who helped to expose the 1 MDB Scandal.

Bridget Welsh, honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham's Malaysia Campus.

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A lifetime civil rights leader in the U.S. who inspired the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

The last of the 'Big Six' rights leaders led by Martin Luther King Junior.

And hailed as the 'conscience of Congress'.

John Lewis is being remembered in a six-day memorial service that follows his journey through life.

The 17-term congressman from Georgia died of pancreatic cancer on July 17 at the age of 80.

He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony in Atlanta on Thursday.

How will his legacy shape the Black Lives Matter movement?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests

Rasheen Aldridge Junior, member of the Missouri State House of Representatives.

Tricia Rose, director of the Center for the Study of Race & Ethnicity in America at Brown University.

Lester Spence, professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

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It's been described as a once-in-a-generation event. Floods have swamped large parts of Southern & Central China after the worst torrential rains in decades.

Many people are dead or missing. Whole villages are inundated and millions of people displaced.

The economic losses in dollars are believed to be in the billions.

Nearly two months of intense rains have swelled 433 rivers - with water in some reaching record levels.

The Chinese authorities have raised flood alerts and deployed soldiers to evacuate people and shore up levees.

Seasonal rains are common in China, but this year's flooding has been exceptional and early.

Some environmentalists blame climate change. And others are raising concerns about the country's dams.

Among them is the Three Gorges, that has been struggling with extreme flows of water.

The dam was once a source of great national pride.

But what impact do such megaprojects have on people and the environment?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests

Dan Wang, analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Access China Service

Peter McCawley, associate Professor at the Australian National University and author of, ‘Banking on the Future of Asia and the Pacific’

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Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa is accused of trying to destroy opposition and silence dissent using COVID-19 as an excuse.

The accusations are not new.

Political arrests and crackdowns on demonstrations have become common.

But the recent arrest of investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has brought back Zimbabwe into the international spotlight.

Chin'ono is accused of inciting public violence. He denies that and says journalism is being criminalised.

He's published articles alleging corruption in multi-million dollar deals to combat coronavirus that have been awarded to powerful individuals close to the government.

What does it tell us about Zimbabwe after Mugabe?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests

Bright Matonga, Zanu -PF member and former Deputy Information Minister in the cabinet of President Robert Mugabe.

Obert Gutu, former MDC National Spokesperson and Deputy Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs.

Piers Pigou, Senior Consultant for Southern Africa for the International Crisis Group, where he also covers Zimbabwe.

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Donald Trump often calls himself the 'law and order' president.

He's accused some city mayors of failing to rein in weeks of protests against police brutality.

Trump sent in federal agents to Portland earlier this month.

He has since announced a 'surge' of federal officers to other cities such as Chicago to combat violent crime.

Several mayors have denounced the deployment as a re-election stunt.

Will this set a dangerous precedent for American democracy?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

John Malcolm - Vice President, Institute for Constitutional Government at the Heritage Foundation

Sahar Aziz - Professor of Law, Rutgers University

Jason Nichols - Lecturer in African American Studies, University of Maryland College Park

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It's being described by some as a new Cold War.

Relations between the U.S. and China are unravelling quickly.

In the latest spat, Chinese diplomats have been given 72 hours to shut down their consulate in Houston, Texas.

President Donald Trump accuses them of spying and stealing intellectual property.

China's foreign ministry is threatening retaliation for what it calls 'malicious slander'.

From trade to security and human rights, will the superpowers find room for compromise?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Wang Huiyao - President and Founder of the Center for China and Globalization

Theresa Fallon - Director of the Center for Russia Europe Asia Studies

Peter Roff - Contributing Editor at Newsweek magazine

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The UK is considering tighter security laws after an intelligence report on Russian interference.

A parliamentary committee says no one in government wanted to know about Moscow's attempts to interfere in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the Brexit vote two years later.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rejected the assessment, while the Kremlin called it "Russo-phobia"

But the allegations are raising questions about the extent of Russian influence on British society.

So, how should the UK respond?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Andrew Foxall - Director of the Russia and Eurasia Studies Centre, Henry Jackson Society in the UK.

Dmitry Babich - Political Analyst, Rossiya Sevodnya.

Nina Jankowicz - Disinformation Fellow at the Wilson Center and author of: 'How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News and the Future of Conflict'.

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The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is gathering pace.

Scientists around the world are competing to develop a safe and effective treatment that may help end the pandemic.

Years of research is being completed in just a few months.

A team at Oxford University in the UK has released promising results from early trials.

It's one of around 160 vaccines under development around the world.

Although doctors are excited, they warn there's still a long way to go before a vaccine is widely available.

So, how do we make sure everyone will have access once there's a vaccine for COVID-19?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Muhammad Munir - Lecturer in Virology, Lancaster University.

Helen Rees - Executive Director, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of Witwatersrand.

John Nicholls - Clinical Professor in Pathology, University of Hong Kong.

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It's seen as a major blow for Chinese technology and a win for U.S. President Donald Trump.

The UK says it's banning China's Huawei 5G from its networks.

The British government says the decision was not easy, but right for national security and the economy.

The move comes as the U.S. intensifies its campaign against the tech giant.

And it reverses the UK's attempt in January to allow restricted use of Huawei's equipment.

From the end of this year, UK operators will not be allowed to buy the firm's 5G kits.

Gear already in place will have to be removed by 2027.

The UK has reportedly asked Japan to help build its internet infrastructure instead.

What does it mean for the timeline of 5G services?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests

Simon Lacey, former Vice President of Global Government Affairs at Huawei Technologies in Shenzhen, China.

Robert Pritchard, cybersecurity consultant and former Deputy Head of Cyber Security Operations Centre in the British Government.

Marc Einstein, Chief Analyst for Digital Services at ITR Japan.

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