Two weeks of violence have plunged Sudan into turmoil. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands have fled. The country is home to more than 500 ethnic groups and is rich in natural resources. Are these factors linked to the conflict? 

Join host Tom McRae.

Guests: 

Khalid Medani - Associate professor of political science and Islamic studies at McGill University.

Raga Makawi - Editor of African Arguments and author of  'Sudan's Unfinished Democracy.'

Waleed Madibo - Founder and president of Sudan Policy Forum.

The US and South Korea have signed an agreement to counter nuclear threats from North Korea. China says Washington is provoking confrontation. What does this deal mean for the region?

Join host Nastasya Tay.

Guests: 

Sean O'Malley - Professor of international studies at Dongseo University.

Greg Scarlatoiu - Executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.

Einar Tangen - Senior fellow at the Taihe Institute.

US President Joe Biden is seeking re-election next year, with Donald Trump hoping to run against him once again. But the campaign ahead is uncertain and unpredictable. So, what challenges does Biden face? And what do American voters want? 

Join host Adrian Finighan.

Guests: 

Liz Mair - Republican strategist and founder of Mair Strategies LLC.

David Bolger - Democratic strategist and former staffer to then-Senator Joe Biden.

Laura Blessing - Senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University.

European leaders have pledged to turn the North Sea into a renewable power engine. They want to cut use of fossil fuels and reliance on Russian gas. The plan is radical and costly but will it work? And where will the money come from? 

Join host Imran Khan. 

Guest:

Gareth Davies - Founder of Aquatera, an environmental and sustainable energy consultancy.

Sandrine Dixson-Decleve - Co-president of The Club of Rome, a climate policy advisory. 

Noah Brenner - Eastern Hemisphere editorial director for Energy Intelligence. 

Global military spending has hit a new record. Parts of Europe saw the biggest increase since the Cold War. As the world witnesses more conflicts, can this trend be reversed?

Join host Imran Khan.

Guests:

Elisabeth Braw - Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Major General S B Asthana - Former director general infantry in the Indian army. 

Domitilla Sagramoso - Senior lecturer in security and development at King's College London.

The battle in Sudan rages on as ceasefires have so far failed. Can regional powers bring enough pressure to stop the fighting? Or is their involvement only complicating peace efforts?

Join host Folly Bah Thibault.

Guests:

Mat Nashed - Journalist and analyst covering the Middle East and North African region.

Kholood Khair - Founding director at Confluence Advisory, a Sudan based think tank. 

Khalid Medani - Associate Professor and Chair of African Studies Program at McGill University.

Tunisia's main opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi is behind bars on charges of plotting against state security. President Kais Saied is intensifying his crackdown on opponents after granting himself greater powers two years ago. So, what's next for the country where the Arab Spring began? And for its opposition movement?

Join host Folly Bah Thibault.

Guest:

Amine Snoussi - Political analyst and independent journalist.

Kaouther Ferjani - Activist and daughter of jailed Tunisian politician Said Ferjani.  

Elizia Volkmann - Journalist and photographer.

Sudan's Rapid Support Forces on Wednesday says it is committed to a 24-hour ceasefire starting at 6pm local time. But there's been no immediate comment by the Sudanese army. 
  
Last week, The Inside Story Podcast explored how each side in the conflict was vying for more power. Could the standoff grow into a civil war? 

Join host Mohammed Jamjoom.

Guests:

Waleed Madibo - Founder and President of Sudan Policy Forum.

Kholood Khair - Founding Director of Confluence Advisory.

Alex de Waal - Professor at Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega has banned church processions in his latest clampdown as he seeks to prevent anti-government unrest. Opposed by the US and accused of human rights abuses, Ortega has also moved closer to China and Russia. What's next for Nicaragua? 

Joins host Folly Bah Thibault.

Guests: 

Ben Norton - Investigative journalist.

Astrid Montealegre - Supervising attorney for the Nicaraguan American Human Rights Alliance. 

Dan Kovalik - Human rights lawyer and author.

The US wants to deepen its relations with Vietnam. The once-warring countries already share strong trading ties. However, closer political and military cooperation presents Hanoi with a difficult balancing act. So, why is Washington wooing Vietnam? 

Join host Dareen Abughaida.

Guests: 

Chong Ja Ian - Associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.

Natasha Lindstaedt - Deputy dean of education in the department of government at University of Essex.

Donald Kirk - Veteran correspondent and author.