The Inside Story Podcast

Months of violence in Ethiopia's Tigray region have highlighted the growing ethnic divide, awakened old rivalries and produced odd alliances.

And Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed might be complicating things even further

Earlier this week he called on all capable Ethiopians to join the army and stop the region's rebels 'once and for all'.

But in a twist of events, The Tigray People's Liberation Front - THE TPLF - responded by joining forces with another rebel group, the Oromo Liberation Army, to fight the government.

It means the conflict is no longer contained in one region and there are growing fears it could lead to an all out civil war.

How much of a threat does this pose to Abiy Ahmed... and to Ethiopia?

Presenter: Kim Vinell

Guests:

William Davison, Ethiopia Senior analyst at International Crisis Group.

Samuel Getachew, journalist

Awol Allo, Senior lecturer in law Keele University.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #Ethiopia #InsideStory

Venezuela's political nightmare could soon be over.

President Nicolas Maduro and his main rival, Juan Guaido, have agreed to hold talks in Mexico in August to try to resolve their differences.

It wasn't long ago Venezuela was considered one of Latin America's most economically stable countries.

But the oil-producing nation has seen eight years of recession, fuelled by an ongoing political crisis since 2018, tough U.S. sanctions and multiple attempts to overthrow the government.

And that's without the added complications of COVID-19.

The stakes are high, but will Venezuela's leaders leave their rivalry aside to rescue their country?

Presenter: Dareen Abu Ghaida

Guests:

Phil Gunson, Senior Analyst at the International Crisis Group.

Vanessa Neumann, founder and CEO of Asymmetrica, a political risk research and strategic communications firm.

Paul Dobson, Analyst at Venezuelanalysis.com.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Venezuela #VenezuelaTalks

When South Sudan became independent 10 years ago, its president, Salva Kiir, promised a new beginning.

The excitement was soon replaced by a civil war, fragile peace deals, and humanitarian crises.

The country is poorly developed.

Millions are still displaced from the civil war, and half the population urgently need aid.

So what's the future for the world's youngest nation?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Geoffrey Duke - Director, South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms.

Nyagoah Tut Pur- South Sudan researcher Human Rights Watch.

James Okuk - Senior Research Fellow, Center for Strategic and Policy Studies.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #SouthSudan #InsideStory

Global sporting events draw tens of thousands of fans, athletes, staff and journalists, making them prime targets for attacks.

Three UN counter-terrorism agencies and the International Centre for Sport Security have launched what they call the first global guide on securing such events.

It's happening as tournaments postponed by the pandemic resume their schedule, including the European Football Championships and the Tokyo Olympics.

Will the pandemic pose further challenges to keeping people safe?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Massimiliano Montanari - CEO, International Centre for Sport Security.

Sajjan Gohel - International Security Director, Asia-Pacific Foundation.

Andy Bodfish - Sports Commentator.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #SportingEvents

As countries ramp up COVID-19 immunisation, the U.S. and European Union are reopening for tourism.

However, people across Africa are still waiting.

The African Union has strongly criticised Europe for failing to deliver the doses it promised.

The EU's new vaccine passport also doesn't recognise much of the vaccines used in Africa.

So will a "vaccine curtain" end up dividing rich and developing nations?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

John Nkengasong - Director, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gloria Taliani - Professor of Infectious Diseases, La Sapienza University of Rome.

Max Lawson - Head of Inequality Policy, Oxfam International.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #EuropeanUnion #COVID19

Iranians have voted in an election to decide the fate of four candidates competing to succeed President Hassan Rouhani.

Nearly 60 million voters are eligible, but there are concerns of a low turnout in a race widely expected to be won by former judge Ebrahim Raisi.

If he wins, it would put hardliners in control as the government tries to salvage the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement.

The vote is also seen as a referendum on the current leadership

But in a country run by a powerful supreme leader, is the job of a president even relevant?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests

Mohammad Marandi, Head of North American Studies Graduate Program at the University of Tehran.

Ali Fathollah Nejad, Affiliated Scholar with Freie Universitat's Center for Middle Eastern and North African Politics.

Mostafa Khoshchesm, journalist and Iran affairs analyst.

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#AlJazeeraEnglish #InsideStory #Iran #Elections

Mali is facing chaos and instability again. The reins of power has been grabbed back by the military junta. Leaders who had taken over after the civilian government was overthrown in August last year have been arrested and forced to resign.

Europeans are threatening more sanctions on Mali where nearly half the population lives in extreme poverty.

And there are fears armed groups may cause further unrest.

Will mediation by West African leaders bring an end to the crisis?

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#Mali

Months of alleged atrocities by government forces in the Tigray region have led the Biden administration to impose restrictions on Ethiopia.

The US has announced travel restrictions and cut security assistance to its oldest ally in Africa.

International pressure is growing on President Abiy Ahmed to stop the violence.

The 2019 Nobel Prize winner's reputation has been tarnished by the war against groups controlling the northern region.

Is there an end in sight for what rights groups are calling 'ethnic cleansing'?

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#Tigray #Ethiopia

A fifth round of dialogue to revive the 2015 nuclear deal is underway in Vienna.

But that's only after the world nuclear watchdog and Tehran agreed to a month-long extension of an agreement allowing inspection of atomic sites.

The concession also coincides with the selection of candidates to compete to become the new president of Iran in June.

Will the positive sign boost the talks and put the nuclear agreement back on track?

And will it bring an end to some sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy?

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#Iran

George Floyd wasn't the first unarmed black man to die at the hands of US police officers.

But the shocking video of his arrest a year ago reverberated across America and the world.

The case reignited longstanding anger at police brutality in the U.S., and triggered a global reckoning on racism.

So what's changed in the year since the killing?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Jill Cartwright - Campaign Lead at Southerners On New Ground

Lester Spence - Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Arthur Rizer - Former Police Officer and Former Department of Justice Prosecutor

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#US #BlackLivesMatter #BLM