The Houthis have intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting oil facilities and airports, including Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Saudi Arabia has vowed retaliation and sought military support from allies, while US President Donald Trump says Washington may join the fight. Would US intervention deter further Houthi attacks or risk escalating the regional conflict?

In this episode:

• Maysaa Shuja Al Deen, Yemeni journalist and researcher at the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies
• Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center
• Nabeel Khoury, former US deputy chief of mission in Yemen and non-resident senior fellow at the Arab Center Washington DC

Host: Rishaad Salamat

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Joseph Kabila, who ruled DR Congo for almost two decades, is making a comeback. He will lead the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a political-military alliance with M23 fighters that opposes President Felix Tshisekedi's government in Kinshasa. Several attempts at a peace deal between government forces, rebels and armed groups have already failed, and many fear the move will worsen the fighting in eastern DR Congo. Is this coalition likely to escalate the conflict?

In this episode:

• Henry-Pacifique Mayala, Co-ordinator of the Kivu Security Tracker at Ebuteli institute
• Ovigwe Eguegu, Policy Analyst at Development Reimagined, specialising in African geopolitics and great power competition
• Vincent Rouget, Head of Political Risk for Africa at Control Risks, a global consultancy

Host: Dareen Abughaida

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US President Donald Trump has announced a deal to bring Russian diesel into the United States, a move welcomed by the Kremlin. He's accused Ukraine of ignoring his calls to halt strikes on Russian refineries. Ukraine insists it will only stop striking Russian refineries if Moscow ceases attacks on its energy facilities. With Washington and Europe diverging further on Ukraine, how long can European leaders continue their economic and military support for Kyiv?

In this episode:

• Lisa Yasko, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament

• Andrey Kortunov, Russian affairs analyst

• John Lough, Head of Foreign Policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre

Host: Rishaad Salamat

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The US brokered a ceasefire to end Israel's war on Gaza. But since then, Israel has not stopped its attacks. Meanwhile, funding shortages are forcing the World Food Programme to cut back its operations in Gaza, leaving half a million Palestinians without badly needed food aid. So how can that gap be closed?

In this episode:

• Tamer Qarmout, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
• Mohammed Salah, entrepreneur and founder of Tech From Palestine
• Natasha Hall, Senior Advocate for the Middle East with Refugees International and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House

Host: Imran Khan

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Fighting is intensifying between Yemen's Ansar Allah Houthis and Saudi Arabia. For the first time since a ceasefire in 2022, the Houthis have fired missiles towards the capital, Riyadh. The Iran-backed group says it will respond to any escalation with an escalation of its own. But it also risks dragging the wider region into conflict. What will it take to stop the attacks?

In this episode:

• Nawaf Obaid, Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London and former advisor to the Saudi government
• Muhanad Seloom, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs
• Ibrahim Jalal, Yemeni affairs analyst who specialises in regional security and armed groups

Host: Rob Matheson

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Unacceptable. That was the immediate reaction from US President Donald Trump to Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran says it's still awaiting what it called a "definitive response" from Washington through mediators. But Trump has said Iran needs a deal because, in his words, it's "losing badly." So, is his rejection of the proposal an effort to pressure Tehran for more concessions?

In this episode:

• Abas Aslani, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies
• Henry Ensher, former US diplomat and former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
• Zeidon Alkinani, Founding Director of the Arab Perspectives Institute

Host: Mohammed Jamjoom

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The last remaining US troops have left Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion to oust Saddam Hussein. After years of conflict and instability, Iraq is entering a new phase without US forces on the ground. Is the Iraqi government ready? And who stands to gain from the US withdrawal?

In this episode:

• Ahmed Rushdi, President of the House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation
• Kenneth Katzman, Senior Fellow at The Soufan Center
• Abdullah AlShayji, Professor at Kuwait University

Host: Dareen Abughaida

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The Malaysian government is facing accusations of forcibly deporting Rohingya refugees, a charge the government denies. It says the process is voluntary and coordinated with Myanmar’s government. But human rights groups say this process violates international law by sending refugees to countries where they risk facing persecution or torture. So, will this concern stop the Rohingya being sent back to Myanmar?

In this episode:

• Phar Kim Beng, Director of the Institute of International and ASEAN Studies and Geopolitics Professor at the University of Malaysia

• Lucky Karim, Democracy and Human Rights Advocate and Founder of Refugee Women for Peace and Justice

• Maung Zarni, Genocide Scholar and Co-Founder of the scholar-activist network, Forces of Renewal Southeast Asia

Host: Imran Khan

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