Ferdinand Marcos Junior has emerged as the frontrunner in the Philippines presidential election, set for May. Sound familiar? He's the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Senior. Other candidates include a movie star and a boxing icon. So what does the race tell us about the state of Philippine politics today?

Join host Mohammed Jamjoom.

With guests:

Danilo Arao - Professor of Journalism, University of the Philippines and convener of the election watchdog Kontra Daya

Criselda Yabes – Journalist and Author.

Richard Heydarian - Professor of Political Science, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and author of the book ‘The Rise of Duterte’ - A Populist Revolt against Elite Democracy.

Canada's capital is at a standstill. Truck drivers are blocking roads in Ottawa's downtown area, where they and their supporters are protesting against vaccine rules and other Covid-19 measures. So, is it just one battle in a bigger war over how we live with the virus?

Join host Hashem Ahelbarra.

With guests:

Manan Gupta - Editor, "Road Today" magazine.

David Anber - Lawyer and individual rights and freedom of speech advocate.

Kerry Bowman - Bioethicist and Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.

A new report is revealing startling information about the state of our planet's glaciers. Scientists say they contain less water and ice than they thought. So, how will this alter the way we manage the effects of climate change?

Join host Hashem Ahelbarra.

With guests:

Daniel Farinotti - Chair of Glaciology, Swiss Federal institute of Technology

Stephan Singer - Senior Climate Science and Global Energy Policy Advisor, Climate Action Network International

Mathieu Morlighem - Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College and co-author of the report.

The leader of ISIL has been killed in a U.S. military operation in Syria. President Joe Biden called it a major blow to global terrorism. But what kind of force is ISIL now? And will the killing of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi have any effect on the war in Syria?

Join host Mohammed Jamjoom.

With guests:

Wa'el Alzayat - CEO, Emgage Foundation and former Syria Outreach Coordinator for the U.S. Department of State.

Marwan Kabalan - Head of Policy Analysis, Arab Center for Research & Policy Studies.

Colin Clarke - Senior Research Fellow, The Soufan Center and author of 'After the Caliphate: The Islamic State & The Future Terrorist Diaspora'.

A decade of European military interventions in Mali is unravelling. France and Germany are considering to withdraw their troops after the country's junta ordered Danish soldiers to leave. The French ambassador to Bamako has also been expelled. 

Join host Nick Clark.

With guests: 

Fabrice Pothier - Chief Strategy Officer at Rasmussen Global.

Noufal Abboud - Executive Director of the Nordic Center for Conflict Transformation.

Chukwuemeka Eze - Executive Director of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding.

The pandemic has created not just a global health crisis, but an environmental one as well. The World Health Organization says tonnes of medical waste have ended up in landfills, and polluted our waterways. So, what can we do to prevent an ecological disaster?

Join host Elizabeth Puranam.

With guest:

Vimlendu Jha - Environmentalist and Founder of SWECHHA.

Ziad Abichaker - Founder of Cedar Environmental.

Jop De Vrieze - Science Medical journalist.

It's the first anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. Protesters demanding a return to civilian rule have paid a heavy price for their dissent, with many killed and jailed. International pressure against rights abuses don't seem to be working as the military junta is extending its grip on power for another six months. So, does democracy still have a chance in Myanmar?

Join host Elizabeth Puranam.

With guests:

Debbie Stothard - Founder and Coordinator of ALTSEAN-Burma.

Ronan Lee - Fellow at Loughborough University London.

Yasmin Ullah - Rohingya Human Rights Activist.

Facing the music, Spotify has announced new rules to deal with Covid-19 misinformation. Artists have been pulling their songs because of the streaming service's star podcaster, who's a vaccine sceptic. How do companies tread the line between harmful lies and healthy debate?

Join host Dareen Abughaida. 

With guests:

Jeffrey Lazarus - Head of the Health Systems Research Group, Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

Catalina Goanta - Associate Professor of Law and Technology, Utrecht University.

Courtney Radsch - Fellow at the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy.

Critical Race Theory is an academic concept that's been around in the United States for decades. Now, more than ever, conservatives are leading the charge against its assertion that racism is embedded in society. The battle is increasingly being waged in school libraries and classrooms -- but is it an attempt to fan a political firestorm in an election year?

Join host Elizabeth Puranam.

With guests:

Treeva Lindsey - Associate Professor, Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Ohio State University. 

Maurice Jackson - Associate Professor, African American Studies, Georgetown University.

Kaaryn Walker - Republican Party Strategist & Founder, Black Conservatives for Truth.

EU leaders are worried that Russia will turn off the taps on much-needed gas supplies if tensions with Ukraine get worse. The United States is helping its allies look for different suppliers, but will the alternatives be enough to fuel Europe's energy needs and reduce its dependent on Russian gas?

Join host Imran Khan.

With guests: 

Pavel Felgenhauer - Defence and Military Analyst.

Cornelia Meyer - CEO of Meyer Resource and a specialist in oil and gas.

Ulrich Brueckner - Professor of Political Science at Stanford University in Berlin.