The Inside Story Podcast

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Will Bangladesh’s first post-Hasina election spark real democratic change? Feb 11, 2026

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Will Thursday's elections be a watershed moment for Bangladesh? Millions of people are expected to cast ballots in the first polls since long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina was removed in 2024. But can the vote spark a real political transition for the country's democracy?

In this episode:

Ashikur Rahman, principal economist at the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh
Prapti Taposhi, activist and a first-time voter
Thomas Kean, senior consultant for Myanmar and Bangladesh at the International Crisis Group

Host: James Bays

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Is Israel’s expansion of West Bank settlements a step toward annexation? Feb 10, 2026

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There's condemnation of Israel's latest move to tighten its grip over the occupied West Bank. Its security cabinet has approved plans to expand illegal settlements there. Is this a step towards annexation? And where does it leave the historic Oslo Accords?

In this episode:

Ammar Hijazi, ambassador and head of the Palestinian Mission to the Netherlands
Yossi Mekelberg, Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House
Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding

Host: James Bays

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Is Portugal’s far-right surge a warning sign for its political future? Feb 09, 2026

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Voters in Portugal have overwhelmingly chosen a centre-left Socialist president. But his far-right rival secured a record share of the vote. What's fuelling this support? And does it signal a future political shift in the European country?

In this episode:

Miguel Poiares Maduro, Director of the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute
Karel Lannoo, CEO of the Centre for European Policy Studies
Rui Gomes da Silva, Lawyer and former Portuguese Parliamentary Affairs Minister

Host: James Bays

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How has Israel’s war on Gaza shaped the Middle East? Feb 08, 2026

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How has Israel’s war on Gaza shaped the Middle East? This year, the Al Jazeera Forum discusses the regional implications of the war. With new realities on the ground, how has the conflict changed the geopolitics in this volatile region? This show was produced on the sidelines of the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha.

In this episode:

Mustafa Barghouti, General Secretary, Palestinian National Initiative.
Abdullah Al Shayji, Professor, International Relations and Political Science, Kuwait University.
Ziad Majed, Professor, Middle Eastern Studies, The American University of Paris.

Host: Sami Zeidan

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How serious is Nigeria's security situation? Feb 07, 2026

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Armed groups have killed more than 200 people in several attacks in Nigeria in recent days. The Christian worshippers abducted from churches last month have been released. How serious is Nigeria's security situation -- and what progress is being made?

In this episode:

James Barnett -- Non-resident research fellow at the Hudson Institute, specialising in armed groups in Nigeria
Oluwole Ojewale -- Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa at the Institute for Security Studies.
Melvin Foote -- founder and president of the Constituency for Africa and a specialist on U.S.-Africa policy

Host: Adrian Finighan

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What happens when the US–Russia nuclear arms control treaty ends? Feb 06, 2026

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For more than five decades, nuclear arms control treaties were enforced between Russia and the US until this week. The last agreement has been allowed to lapse without a new one to replace it. So, why has this happened, and what are the dangers?

In this episode:

Thomas Countryman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-Proliferation under the Obama administration
Rebecca E Johnson, Co-founder and first President of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Nikolai Sokov, Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

Host: Tom McRae

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What are the obstacles in the US-brokered peace talks with Russia and Ukraine? Feb 05, 2026

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Talks brokered by the US seek to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Many civilians in Ukraine are suffering in freezing temperatures after Russian attacks on heating and energy supplies. Negotiations are to continue, despite big divisions. But what are those sticking points? And could an end come soon?

In this episode:

Alexander Bratersky, Independent Analyst and journalist in Moscow
Oleksiy Goncharenko, Ukrainian opposition member of Parliament and a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe for The New York Times

Host: Tom McRae

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Why are there mixed reactions to the US-India trade deal? Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

India and the US announce a trade deal, with relief from some of President Donald Trump's harshest tariffs. He says India will stop buying Russian oil and open up to American business. So, why is the deal getting a mixed reaction in India?

In this episode:

Ajay Chhibber, visiting scholar at George Washington University
Biswajit Dhar, trade economist and former professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University
Harry Broadman, former Chief of Staff at the President's Council of Economic Advisers

Host: Rishaad Salamat

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Will there be conflict again between Iran and Israel? Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is yet again in Israel to discuss growing tensions with Iran. The two sides have been trading threats. At odds for nearly half a century, can they find a common ground? Or is a new round of conflict inevitable?

In this episode:

Thomas Warrick, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council
Marzie Khalilian, political analyst and researcher at Carleton University
Alon Pinkas, Former Israeli Ambassador and Consul General in New York

Host: Rishaad Salamat

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How will the open Rafah border crossing impact Palestinian lives? Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Gaza's Rafah border crossing reopened but under strict Israeli conditions. The crossing is once again operational as part of the US-brokered ceasefire. But with Israel's restrictions, will this reopening ease the suffering of Palestinians after two years of war?

In this episode:

Hussein Haridy, former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister
Mosab Nasser, CEO of FAJR Global
Akiva Eldar, political analyst and contributor to Haaretz

Host: Maleen Saeed

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