The Inside Story Podcast

The conflict in eastern Ukraine is often called Europe's forgotten war.

Separatists backed by Russia have been battling the Ukrainian army since 2014.

Thousands of people have been killed, and 1.5 million Ukrainians have been displaced.

European leaders say Russia has failed to implement the ceasefire deal it signed with Ukraine in 2015.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the EU has no choice but to extend sanctions against Russia's energy, financial and arms sectors until next January.

It follows worsening relations with Russia.

Moscow is accused of ordering a murder in Berlin and conducting cyberattacks on the German government.

So, are the sanctions working?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Viktor Olevich - Lead Expert at the Center for Actual Politics in Moscow.

Olexiy Haran - Professor of Comparative Politics at Kiev Mohyla Academy.

Liana Fix - Programme Manager in the International Politics Department at the Korber Foundation in Germany.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Russia #Ukraine

They're known as 'Dreamers': the children of undocumented immigrants who sought a better life in the United States.

And their American Dream is safe, for now.

The Supreme Court has blocked the President's attempt to end a programme that protects them from deportation.

The Justices said Donald Trump's administration did not follow proper legal procedure.

It was the second Supreme Court ruling against the president this week, prompting an angry response from Trump on Twitter.

So, will Donald Trump try again to reverse the policy, known as DACA?

And how will the ruling shape the election just five months away?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Vincent Warren - Executive Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Adolfo Franco - U.S. Republican Political Strategist.

Lara Brown - Director of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Dreamers #DACA

It was just two years ago, when the leaders of North Korea and South Korea agreed to work towards peace.

They signed a pact to stop cross-border hostilities... and for once, there was hope for reconciliation.

But now, that hope is fading.

Pyongyang's threatened to re-deploy troops near the demilitarized border.

It also destroyed a liaison office meant to facilitate dialogue, because, it says, South Korea allowed North Korean defectors to drop anti-government leaflets into its territory.

The government in Seoul denies that and says it will no longer tolerate North Korea's behaviour.

So, what's next for the region?

Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria

Guests:

Scott Snyder - Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.

June Park - Political Economist and Researcher at the National Foundation of Korea.

Aidan Foster-Carter - Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology and Modern Korea at Leeds University.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #NorthKorea #SouthKorea #InsideStory

The war in Syria has devastated much of the country and its people.

But president Bashar Al Assad has remained in power, with the help of his foreign allies.

There's now another threat facing tens of millions of Syrians.

The economy, which has been reduced to a third of its size - has been decimated.

Its currency is in freefall and there are shortages of basic goods; while prices have gone up.

But Assad might not be able to count on his friends anymore to rebuild his state.

New U.S. sanctions now taking effect, punish anyone who does business with his country.

It targets politicians, institutions, businesses and those engaged in transactions with the Syrian government.

They could be banned from travel, denied access to U.S. markets or even face arrest.

It could also affect partners like Russia and Iran, but also those in the Gulf and Europe as well.

American officials insist the sanctions will not harm Syrian civilians.

So, will these sanctions deny the government of a political victory after years of conflict?

And how will Syria's allies react to the new sanctions?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Joshua Landis - Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.

Ammar Kahf - Executive Director of the Omran Center for Strategic Studies.

Alexey Khlebnikov - Middle East Expert at the Russian International Affairs Council.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Syria #CaesarAct #InsideStory

From video-chatting to working from home, one thing that's keeping us all going during this lockdown is a good internet connection.

The online world became part of our everyday lives, and how transformative it's been. Ordering, banking, educating or building a business, all from our computers and phones.

But in Africa in 2020, only four in every 10 people have access to the web.

And so tech firms are seeing an opportunity, and want to develop internet infrastructure there.

Facebook & Google are teaming up with telecommunication firms to build cables under sea, projects which aim to connect the continent to the Middle East and Europe.

Facebook's is called 2AFRICA, and would connect 23 countries with 37,000 kilometres of cable - equal almost to the circumference of the entire planet.

But what happens when these same companies control the content, and its delivery?

Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria

Guests

Larry Magid, CEO of ConnectSafely.org, an internet safety, privacy and security organization

Thulani Khanyile, founder of the Energy Decarbonisation Company

Meried Bekele, CEO of IE Networks

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Africa #InsideStory

It's the middle of June in the Northern Hemisphere, schools are almost out and the traditional holiday season is upon us.

But what is traditional about emerging from a months-long global pandemic lockdown?

Travel restrictions are gradually being lifted in many countries, and tourist attractions are back on the itinerary - but there are so many catches.

Some European countries have now opened borders to each other but for now, that's it. Tourists from other countries will have to wait.

Others are welcoming visitors from nations that have the coronavirus under control... but health certificates, quarantines and other precautions might be needed.

And going on holiday - if you can - is likely to be a very different experience, if we're all wearing masks and standing two metres apart.

So what changes are needed to make tourism sustainable? And do tourists even have the appetite to travel now?

Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria

Guests

Rachid Dahmaz, President of the Agadir Regional Council of Tourism.

Alessandra Prianti, Director of the Europe Regional Department at the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Coronavirus #Tourism

The killing of George Floyd in U.S. police custody has triggered anti-racism protests around the world.

Rallies in Britain highlighted discrimination against minorities, as well as Britain's colonial past.

Far right protesters held counter rallies after the statues of colonial figures and slave traders were removed.

People also rallied against racism and police violence in France.

And protesters in Belgium defaced statues of King Leopold II, who ruled Congo in the 19th century when tens of millions of Africans were enslaved and killed.

Can Europe and the U.S. learn from each other about how to deal with the legacy of racism?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Tricia Rose - Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University

Patrick Vernon - Cultural Historian and anti-racism campaigner in the UK

Ojeaku Nwabuzo - Senior Research Officer at the European Network Against Racism

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #BlackLivesMatter #InsideStory

It's described as the biggest crisis in aviation history.

With borders closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, airlines are forced to ground their fleets, costing them billions in lost revenue every month.

Some airlines are hoping to resume flights and restore links as countries begin to ease their lockdowns.

But many places, such as the UK, are making it mandatory for travellers to spend two weeks in quarantine when they land.

British Airways, Easyjet and Ryanair are challenging the government ruling in court.

The International Air Transport Association says 2020 will be the worst year on record, with airlines set to lose 84 billion dollars.

So what does the airline industry need to recover from the pandemic?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Raphael Kuuchi - Special Envoy to Africa on Aero-political Affairs at the International Air Transport Association

Benet J Wilson - Travel and aviation writer

Diego Olmedo - International Aviation Law expert

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Aviation

The United States is facing criticism around the world for its latest threats against the International Criminal Court.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order sanctioning the ICC's staff and their families.

The US, which is not a member of the Hague-based tribunal, is angry at investigations into suspected war crimes in Afghanistan that could implicate its soldiers.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the ICC a "kangaroo court".

The International Criminal Court has rejected the sanctions as an unprecedented attack.

So, what's behind president Trump's move?

And what will be its impact on international justice?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Fergal Gaynor - Counsel at the International Criminal Court and legal representative of victims in Afghanistan

Brett Schaefer - Jay Kingham Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Toby Cadman - International Human Rights Lawyer and Co-Founder of Guernica 37 at International Justice Chambers.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #ICC

The coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating impact on refugees around the world.

Preventative measures like social distancing and frequent hand washing are often difficult to implement in crowded camps.

The aid agencies helping the refugees are struggling as well.

Wealthy nations in Europe, North America and the Middle East are slashing donations, and keeping that money at home to tackle the economic fallout of the pandemic.

Oxfam, one of the world's largest charities, laid off nearly 1,500 staff and pulled out of 18 countries last month.

A recent survey estimated that global government aid will drop by 25 billion dollars by 2021.

So how do we ensure protection for some of the world's most vulnerable people?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Heba Aly - Director of The New Humanitarian, a non-profit Journalism organisation focused on humanitarian crises.

Ole Solvang - Director of Partnerships and Policy at the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Nasser Yassin - Associate Professor of Policy and Planning at the American University of Beirut and Chair of the AUB4Refugees Initiative.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Coronavirus #InsideStory