Podcasts about special representative

Former U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, joins Brian to break down the strategic collapse of the Iranian regime. Hook reveals why the conflict has exposed Iran as a "paper tiger" and explains how President Trump's decisive action has successfully neutralized Tehran's naval power and isolated their primary financier, China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the most important changes the Paris Agreement has brought about? How should the COP process evolve? And why does geoengineering need to be approached with caution?   The fourth part of the Future of Climate Diplomacy mini-series features a fascinating conversation between Chatham House's Chris Aylett (standing in for Anna and Bhargabi) and Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation and previously France's Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21.

pWotD Episode 3215: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 497,997 views on Thursday, 19 February 2026 our article of the day is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor (born 19 February 1960), formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is a member of the House of Windsor. He is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger brother of King Charles III. Andrew was born second in the line of succession to the British throne and is eighth as of 2026.Andrew served in the Royal Navy from 1979 to 2001. He saw active duty as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. He later became a helicopter instructor and commanded a warship. He married Sarah Ferguson in 1986, and was created Duke of York on their wedding day. They had two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, before separating in 1992 and divorcing in 1996. From 2001 to 2011, Andrew served as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, but resigned following scrutiny of his expenses and associations with controversial figures. He continued to undertake official duties on behalf of Elizabeth II until 2019.Andrew had a long‑standing association with Jeffrey Epstein, the American convicted sex offender, which has attracted widespread criticism. In 2014, alleged Epstein abuse victim Virginia Giuffre said that she had been sex-trafficked to Andrew by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, after previously telling the Daily Mail in 2011 that she had no sexual contact with him. Andrew denied any wrongdoing, and in 2022 settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in the United States without admission of liability. In the same year, Elizabeth II removed his military affiliations and patronages, and he ceased using the style "Royal Highness". In 2025, Charles III removed Andrew's remaining royal styles and honours, and restricted his use of titles and peerages. He vacated Royal Lodge, part of the Crown Estate, and relocated to private accommodation on the Sandringham estate. Following the release of the Epstein files in 2026, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and was later released under investigation.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:59 UTC on Friday, 20 February 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Justin.

As wars drag on across continents and conflicts grow more complex, children continue to bear the heaviest and most heartbreaking cost.Marking 30 years since the United Nations first established its mandate to protect children caught in war, Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, is sounding the alarm, and calling for renewed global commitment to prevention, protection, and accountability.Ms. Frazier warned that grave violations against children are rising sharply, with more than 7,400 cases of child recruitment verified in 2024 alone.Charlotte Frantz began by asking where child recruitment is happening the most – and what is driving it.

Dr. Kari Johnstone joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they discuss how traffickers adapt fast, moving money, victims, and exploitation through digital systems most of us interact with every day, examining whether our institutions are adapting fast enough to protect victims without them risking everything to testify.Dr. Kari JohnstoneDr. Kari Johnstone is the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, representing the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe at the political level on human trafficking issues and coordinating anti-trafficking efforts across the OSCE region. Before joining the OSCE, Dr. Johnstone spent nearly a decade (2014-2023) as Senior Official, Acting Director, and Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP), where she advised senior leadership on global trafficking policy and programming and oversaw the annual Trafficking in Persons Report. Her extensive U.S. government service also includes senior roles in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Dr. Johnstone holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.Key PointsThe OSCE survey revealed a 17-fold increase in forced criminality cases over five years across the 57 member states, making it the fastest growing form of human trafficking globally.Forced scamming, which originated in Southeast Asia, is now being exported to other regions as criminals adopt this lucrative business model that exploits victims with brutal tactics to defraud others.Technology and artificial intelligence present both challenges and opportunities in combating trafficking, allowing law enforcement to process data more quickly to find victims and perpetrators while also being misused by traffickers for recruitment and exploitation.Financial intelligence and following the money can supplement or even replace victim testimony in prosecutions, reducing the burden on survivors and providing effective pathways to convict traffickers.The non-punishment principle remains woefully inadequate in practice worldwide, with victims often arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for crimes directly related to their trafficking experience, creating lifelong consequences that prevent access to housing, employment, and stability.The United States leads globally on criminal record relief for trafficking survivors, with 48-49 states having vacature or expungement laws and new federal legislation (Trafficking Survivor Relief Act) awaiting presidential signature, though much work remains worldwide.Victim assistance must be unlinked from the criminal justice process, allowing survivors to receive care and services first before deciding whether to cooperate with law enforcement, which actually increases the likelihood they will come forward and participate.The demographics of trafficking victims are shifting beyond stereotypes, with forced scamming targeting educated individuals with IT and language skills, while forced criminality increasingly exploits younger children, including those under age 10, for drug-related crimes and violence.ResourcesOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human BeingsProtocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (UN Palermo Protocol)UN Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in PersonsU.S. State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in PersonsTrafficking in Persons ReportTrafficking Survivors Relief ActEnding Human Trafficking PodcastTranscriptTranscript will be here when available.

HEADLINE 1: A delegation of Hamas officials arrived on Monday in…wait for it…Turkey.HEADLINE 2: This is not a parody: Hamas wants to be part of Gaza's new government.HEADLINE 3: The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Middle Eastern waters yesterday.AND BONUS HEADLINE 4: The IDF is still hammering Hezbollah in Lebanon.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams, who formerly served as U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela.For all past episodes: https://bit.ly/3LENwPr--Featured FDD Pieces:"Israel's hostage agony finally ends — but its Gaza mission is far from over" - Mark Dubowitz, New York Post"Iranian Influence Operation Floods X With Anti-Protest Messaging" - Max Lesser and Maria Riofrio, FDD Policy Brief"Why Is Saudi Arabia Abandoning Peace?" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, The National Interest

Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss Venezuela and what might happen next. ▪️ Times 02:04 Snatch and Grab 05:50 Intelligence Operations 12:04 Oil 16:50 Holding the Country Together  24:16 Risks & Mistakes 30:48 Blockade 33:54 Hard To Leave    39:11 Not Iraq 41:48 Cuba 42:21 The Iranian Regime Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

In the 2000s, Prince Andrew reinvented himself as Britain's “Special Representative for Trade and Investment.” Officially, he was bringing prosperity to the UK. Unofficially, he was building a network of dubious friendships — oligarchs, dictators, financiers — and a reputation for arrogance that alarmed diplomats. As luxury trips and questionable deals piled up, whispers reached Buckingham Palace. The Queen defended him. Charles worried privately. William took notes.Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.

Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss events in the Caribbean. ▪️ Times 01:56 Venezuela Through Multiple Administrations  06:05 Maduro 11:53 Trump to Biden 17:56 U.S. Military Capabilities  24:05 Political Justifications  30:11 The Venezuelan Opposition 35:56 Machado in Hiding 41:27 Worst Case Scenarios Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content on our School of War Substack

After more than 22 years at the heart of Iraq's political transition and post-war recovery, the UN will close its political mission in the country at the end of 2025.Established in 2003, the mission (UNAMI) has played a central role in supporting inclusive political dialogue, national reconciliation, credible elections and the protection of human rights.UN News's Reem Abaza spoke to the mission chief and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Mohamed Al Hassan, about what's been achieved – and the challenges ahead. 

COP30 negotiations have officially started, and began with a fight about what to put on the agenda. While not completely unexpected for these enormous multilateral gatherings, it’s a rockier start than the Brazilian hosts in Belem would have wanted. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi is joined by Rachel Kyte, the UK’s Special Representative for Climate, to talk about how to forge climate consensus in an increasingly polarized world, and who is ready to fill the void left behind by the US. Explore further: Norway Pledges $3 Billion for Forest Fund, With Conditions Find all the latest news from COP30 here: https://www.bloomberg.com/latest/cop-climate-summit Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd. Special thanks to Anna Mazarakis, Siobhan Wagner, Sommer Saadi and Mohsis Andam. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A deal to end the government shutdown moves forward in the Senate, despite sparking division inside the Democratic caucus. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) explains why he supports the deal. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) argues this deal is bad for Americans. Former U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey reacts to President Trump's meeting with the Syrian president at the White House.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After two years of relentless Israeli air and ground assaults on Gaza, much of the territory lies in ruins. Many of Gaza's two million residents have been displaced and are struggling to secure basic necessities. Jaco Cilliers, the current Special Representative for the United Nations Development Programme's Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (PAPP), outlines the vast scale of destruction in Gaza and the immense challenges involved in rebuilding even a semblance of normal life.

Over the years, researchers and journalists have repeatedly requested access to official files relating to Prince Andrew's time as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade & Investment (2001-2011). These documents include his travel records, correspondence, meeting logs and other aspects of his public-role activities. However, under UK public-records and freedom-of-information rules, some royal-associated records enjoy extended secrecy. Specifically, files about certain senior royals (including Prince Andrew) are exempt from general access and are to remain sealed for 105 years after the individual's birth — in Andrew's case meaning his records will largely stay private until 2065.The result has sparked considerable controversy. Critics argue the blanket sealing amounts to a lack of transparency and accountability given Andrew's taxpayer-funded public role, while defenders cite national-security, diplomatic-confidentiality and royal-protocol justifications. The secrecy has been described by some as “dubious” in its application of the Freedom of Information Act and other archival laws, especially when open-government norms would favour release after 20 years.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

pWotD Episode 3104: Prince Andrew Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 378,085 views on Friday, 31 October 2025 our article of the day is Prince Andrew.Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten Windsor (born 19 February 1960), formerly known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger brother of King Charles III. Andrew was born second in the line of succession to the British throne and is currently eighth.Andrew served in the Royal Navy between 1979 and 2001 as a helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship. During the Falklands War he flew on multiple missions including anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuation and Exocet missile decoy. Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986, and was created Duke of York on his wedding day. They have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Their marriage, separation in 1992 and divorce in 1996 attracted extensive media coverage. Andrew served as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 to 2011, resigning amid scrutiny over his expenses and associations with figures including Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He continued to undertake official duties on behalf of Elizabeth II until 2019.In 2014, Virginia Giuffre alleged that, as a 17-year-old, she had been sex trafficked to Andrew by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the latter of whom was convicted of child sex trafficking in 2021. Andrew denied any wrongdoing. Amid growing criticism of his associations with Epstein and Maxwell, he permanently stepped back from public roles in May 2020. Between August 2021 and February 2022, he was the defendant in a civil lawsuit over sexual assault filed by Giuffre in the United States. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and Andrew paid an undisclosed sum to Giuffre without admission of liability. In 2022, Elizabeth II removed his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages, and he stopped using the style "His Royal Highness". In October 2025, amid ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew's association with Epstein, Buckingham Palace announced that "a formal process" to remove his style, titles, and honours had been begun by Charles III. He was also served with a formal notice to leave his home, Royal Lodge.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:50 UTC on Saturday, 1 November 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Prince Andrew on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Danielle.

Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, joins Heather Brunskell-Evans and Julian Vigo to discuss her mission as United Nations Special Rapporteur and the consequences, changing dimensions, and the greater challenges of her role. Responding to the criticism she has received for her views on gender ideology, on the one hand, and criticisms by feminists who view women in hijab as less deserving of human rights protections, Alsalem relates how occupation and colonialism impacts this demographic quite differently as she notes how both the degredation of women in hijab and women who “identify as men” are similarly rendered invisible through the very ideologies that pretend to speak for them. Alsalem tackles the divisive issue of the alleged rapes claimed by the Israeli government and legacy media on 7 October 2023 and the incoherence of Western feminism that parrots the debunked reports while simultaneously egging on a genocide. Analysing the report by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (SRSG-SVC), Alsalem underscores how the mandate for this report was not investigative noting that a later investigation, undertaken by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry in June 2024, issued a report that clearly states that it “has not been able to independently verify such allegations, due to a lack of access to victims, witnesses and crime sites and the obstruction of its investigations by the Israeli authorities.” Alsalem details how the lie that Israel spun regarding the alleged rapes of Israeli women on 7 October has been completely debunked by an independent body, while noting that the widespread evidence documenting Israel's pattern of sexual violence towards Palestinian men and women has been completely ignored by Western media and governments. Get full access to Savage Minds at savageminds.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Cleaning Up, we welcome back Rachel Kyte, the UK's Special Representative for Climate Change, for a deep dive into the shifting landscape of global climate diplomacy ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.Rachel brings decades of experience — from leading Sustainable Energy for All under Ban Ki-Moon to senior roles at the World Bank and IFC — to unpack how countries, investors, and institutions are navigating the new era of implementation.Together, Michael and Rachel explore:How the UK is re-engaging globally on climate and energy policy.The evolution of climate finance and why capital still struggles to flow into emerging markets.Which path the world will follow, the US petrostate model, or China's electrostate model.Why investing in grids, governance, and infrastructure is still missing from the energy transition.What to expect at COP30 — from forest finance to a possible rethink of the annual COP model.And how countries from Africa to Asia are shaping their own pathways to clean growth and energy security.Rachel also reflects on public attitudes, the politicization of climate action, and the need for pragmatic cooperation over rhetoric.Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. Links and more:Rachel's first appearance on Cleaning Up: https://youtu.be/Umq5pICThDMInside the World's Biggest Investor - Ep138: Carine Smith IhenachoThe Planet's Leading Diplomat - Ep70: Ban Ki-moonSustainable Energy for All - Ep16: Dr Kandeh K. Yumkella

During his time as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 to 2011, Prince Andrew developed several controversial connections in Libya that would later haunt his public image. Among them was his reported friendship with Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan gun smuggler with ties to the Gaddafi regime. Kaituni allegedly acted as a middleman who facilitated introductions between Andrew and other Libyan figures, including members of Muammar Gaddafi's inner circle. Multiple outlets have reported that Kaituni boasted of arranging meetings between Andrew and Gaddafi himself, raising questions about the prince's judgment and whether his official role was used to court unsavory foreign contacts. The scrutiny deepened when reports surfaced of a £1 million payment connected to a Libyan-linked network that allegedly benefited Andrew, involving banker Selman Turk and intermediaries once associated with Kaituni.Prince Andrew's name was once again dragged into scandal when reports surfaced linking him to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, businessman Yang Tengbo — also known by the codename “H6.” British security officials alleged that Yang used his relationship with the Duke of York to gain influence and access within elite circles, including royal events and private meetings at Buckingham Palace. Investigators later determined Yang was involved in covert activities on behalf of the Chinese government and banned him from the United Kingdom on national security grounds. While Andrew's representatives claimed he ended all contact after the allegations surfaced, documents and testimonies suggested their connection ran deeper, including multiple meetings tied to trade and investment discussions during Andrew's tenure as the U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

During his time as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 to 2011, Prince Andrew developed several controversial connections in Libya that would later haunt his public image. Among them was his reported friendship with Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan gun smuggler with ties to the Gaddafi regime. Kaituni allegedly acted as a middleman who facilitated introductions between Andrew and other Libyan figures, including members of Muammar Gaddafi's inner circle. Multiple outlets have reported that Kaituni boasted of arranging meetings between Andrew and Gaddafi himself, raising questions about the prince's judgment and whether his official role was used to court unsavory foreign contacts. The scrutiny deepened when reports surfaced of a £1 million payment connected to a Libyan-linked network that allegedly benefited Andrew, involving banker Selman Turk and intermediaries once associated with Kaituni.Prince Andrew's name was once again dragged into scandal when reports surfaced linking him to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, businessman Yang Tengbo — also known by the codename “H6.” British security officials alleged that Yang used his relationship with the Duke of York to gain influence and access within elite circles, including royal events and private meetings at Buckingham Palace. Investigators later determined Yang was involved in covert activities on behalf of the Chinese government and banned him from the United Kingdom on national security grounds. While Andrew's representatives claimed he ended all contact after the allegations surfaced, documents and testimonies suggested their connection ran deeper, including multiple meetings tied to trade and investment discussions during Andrew's tenure as the U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

During his time as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment from 2001 to 2011, Prince Andrew developed several controversial connections in Libya that would later haunt his public image. Among them was his reported friendship with Tarek Kaituni, a convicted Libyan gun smuggler with ties to the Gaddafi regime. Kaituni allegedly acted as a middleman who facilitated introductions between Andrew and other Libyan figures, including members of Muammar Gaddafi's inner circle. Multiple outlets have reported that Kaituni boasted of arranging meetings between Andrew and Gaddafi himself, raising questions about the prince's judgment and whether his official role was used to court unsavory foreign contacts. The scrutiny deepened when reports surfaced of a £1 million payment connected to a Libyan-linked network that allegedly benefited Andrew, involving banker Selman Turk and intermediaries once associated with Kaituni.Prince Andrew's name was once again dragged into scandal when reports surfaced linking him to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, businessman Yang Tengbo — also known by the codename “H6.” British security officials alleged that Yang used his relationship with the Duke of York to gain influence and access within elite circles, including royal events and private meetings at Buckingham Palace. Investigators later determined Yang was involved in covert activities on behalf of the Chinese government and banned him from the United Kingdom on national security grounds. While Andrew's representatives claimed he ended all contact after the allegations surfaced, documents and testimonies suggested their connection ran deeper, including multiple meetings tied to trade and investment discussions during Andrew's tenure as the U.K.'s Special Representative for International Trade.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Prince Andrew's use of public money has long been a flashpoint for criticism, reflecting the uneasy tension between royal privilege and public accountability. During his tenure as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, Andrew racked up hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxpayer-funded travel and hospitality expenses each year—lavish costs that raised questions about whether his “official duties” were serving the nation or himself. His entourage's frequent flights, luxury accommodations, and extravagant spending on overseas visits came under fire in Parliament, with critics accusing him of behaving like a jet-setting businessman rather than a public servant. When revelations about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein emerged, those same spending habits were revisited as evidence of a pattern—public resources used to sustain private indulgence.The controversy deepened with his legal settlement with Virginia Giuffre in 2022, reportedly worth millions of pounds. While Buckingham Palace and HM Treasury insisted no public funds were used to pay it, the lack of financial transparency around royal income fueled public skepticism. Critics noted that Andrew's security, property maintenance, and other royal benefits remain covered by taxpayer money—despite his “retirement” from public duties. His finances remain shrouded in secrecy, prompting ongoing calls for an official register of royal interests and expenditures. For many, Andrew has come to symbolize the problem of unchecked privilege: a man shielded by the institution even as he drained the public purse.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Alex speaks with Tom Korski, Managing Editor at Blacklock's Reporter, about the controversy surrounding Amirah Elghawaby, Canada's Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia. The pair dissect newly revealed records showing her correspondence with government officials, advocacy inside federal workplaces, and her public stance on Palestinian and Muslim issues. They also tackle the broader question of accountability in Ottawa — including Liberal MP Yvan Baker's proposal to make dishonesty by public office holders an offence. A sharp, candid conversation about access, influence, and truth in Canadian politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Damilola Ogunbiyi is CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. In this episode, she joins Jenn to discuss the critical connection between energy access and poverty, why 666 million people still lack electricity, and how the Global South can leapfrog to clean energy from the start rather than transition later.Useful Links:Follow Damilola on LinkedIn hereLearn more about her work hereClick here for the episode web page. This episode is also available on YouTube.For more insights straight to your inbox subscribe to the Future in Sight newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram This podcast is brought to you by Re:Co, a tech-powered advisory company helping private market investors pursue sustainability objectives and value creation in tandem. Produced by Chris AttawayArtwork by Harriet RichardsonMusic by Cody Martin

IS HAMAS SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING THE WAR?HEADLINE 1: The U.S. government approved a new aid package for Lebanese security forces.HEADLINE 2: Syria held elections for the first time since Bashar al-Assad's fall.HEADLINE 3: Israel intercepted all the boats and there was no violence or bloodshed. But poor Greta Thunberg was grumpy because she wasn't greeted with hugs and a dance party.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow The Honorable Elliott Abrams, who formerly served as U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela and Deputy National Security Advisor.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief-- Featured FDD Pieces"Trump will help Ukraine hit Putin where it hurts — to finally end his bloody war" - John Hardie, New York Post"5 Ways to Curb Iran's Oil Exports to China" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, The National Interest"Europe Should Support Moldova Against Russian Meddling" - Ivana Stradner and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Foreign Policy"Hamas Says 'Yes, But...'" - Elliott Abrams, The Free Press

After splashy announcements from our European, Australian, and Canadian allies, later this month, the UN will vote to “recognize a Palestinian State”. While theatrical and without legal import, the vote can only be understood as a reward for terrorism and October 7th. Hamas and too many Palestinians have no interest in state building, institutions, democratic elections, or taking part in the “two state solution” and never have. And yet, while Hamas is still holding hostages and blocking humanitarian aid, the UN is displaying its bias against Israel. Will a “state” ever satisfy Palestinian nationalism? Are European leaders just making a play for domestic favor? Will the Jordanian option ever see the sun? And if we wanted to, how would we return to status quo ante October 7?Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and the Chairman of the Vandenberg Coalition. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in Donald Trump's first administration.Read the transcript here.Subscribe to our Substack here.

India & China have decided to return to the 2005 agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question. This, after crucial talks between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi & NSA Ajit Doval. Both countries have agreed on crucial steps to address the border tensions & to push forward ties. Shekhar Gupta explains the significance of the return to 2005 deal in rebuilding India-China ties, de-escalation and what it means for the border issue. Ep 1717 of #CutTheClutter----more----Read India - China Agreement 2005 here: https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/6534/Agreement+between+the+Government+of+the+Republic+of+India+and+the+Government+of+the+Peoples+Republic+of+China+on+the+Political+Parameters+and+Guiding+Principles+for+the+Settlement+of+the+IndiaChina+Boundary+Question----more----https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/40016/Visit_of_Chinas_Foreign_Minister_and_Special_Representative_on_the_IndiaChina_boundary_question

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage, Alaska to discuss a path forward for ending the war in Ukraine. Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia and Ukraine Evelyn Farkas, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder and former Special Representative to Ukraine Amb. Kurt Volker join for analysis.

According to reporting, government files detailing Prince Andrew's decade-long tenure as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment will stay locked away until 2065—some 105 years after his birth—under royal family exemptions to Freedom of Information laws. In practice, this means the public banished from scrutinizing any records tied to his taxpayer-funded diplomatic role, just when transparency should be their highest priority following the Epstein debacle. This isn't mere protocol; it's a stonewall, shielding a scandal-riddled prince from public accountability under the guise of "royal privilege."The timing couldn't be more suspect: Prince Andrew's ties to Jeffrey Epstein have already cost him public trust, official titles, and patronages. Yet with the government's cloak of secrecy firmly in place, the ability to question how and why Epstein-linked business trips were arranged—or what exactly Andrew was doing on the public dime—vanishes into the archives. It's not just a blackout—it's institutional cover-up by omissionto contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Prince Andrew files locked away until 2065 as royal biographer slams 'culture of secrecy' | Royal | News | Express.co.ukBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

According to reporting, government files detailing Prince Andrew's decade-long tenure as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment will stay locked away until 2065—some 105 years after his birth—under royal family exemptions to Freedom of Information laws. In practice, this means the public banished from scrutinizing any records tied to his taxpayer-funded diplomatic role, just when transparency should be their highest priority following the Epstein debacle. This isn't mere protocol; it's a stonewall, shielding a scandal-riddled prince from public accountability under the guise of "royal privilege."The timing couldn't be more suspect: Prince Andrew's ties to Jeffrey Epstein have already cost him public trust, official titles, and patronages. Yet with the government's cloak of secrecy firmly in place, the ability to question how and why Epstein-linked business trips were arranged—or what exactly Andrew was doing on the public dime—vanishes into the archives. It's not just a blackout—it's institutional cover-up by omissionto contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Prince Andrew files locked away until 2065 as royal biographer slams 'culture of secrecy' | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

In this special episode of Nicosia Uncut, UN Secretary General’s outgoing Special Representative and Head of UNFICYP Colin Stewart responded questions by Andromachi Sophocleous and Kemal Baykalli, as well by the podcast audience. Is UN part of the status-quo in Cyprus? What is his assessment for the future? Do we need to revise the job-description […] The post Nicosia Uncut – Episode 62: UNSG Special Representative Colin Stewart answered your questions (7/8/2025) first appeared on Island Talks.

“In so many cases, as is the case of October 7, there are no direct victims who are able to speak – for the very grim reason that Hamas made sure to kill almost each and every one of them. The very few that did survive are too traumatized to speak . . . “ Shortly after the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, witness accounts emerged of women brutally raped and mutilated before they were murdered and silenced forever. For Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Professor of Law at Bar-Ilan University, that silence was deafening. And the silence of the international community unwilling to hold Hamas accountable, disturbing.  ”Does that mean that [Hamas] can walk away without being prosecuted, without being charged, and without being pointed to as those who perpetrate sexual violence and use it as a weapon of war?” she asks. In this episode, Halperin-Kaddari explains how she and her colleagues have erased any doubt to make sure Hamas is held accountable.  Their initiative The Dinah Project, named for one of Jacob's daughters, a victim of rape, just published A Quest for Justice, the most comprehensive assessment to date of the widespread and systematic sexual violence that occurred during and after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists and their allies.  The report demonstrates that sexual violence was widespread and systematic during the October 7 attack, that there are clear patterns in the methods of sexual violence across geographic locations, and that sexual violence continued against hostages in captivity. It concludes that Hamas used sexual violence as a tactical weapon of war during and after the October 7 attack.  Resources: Read: The Dinah Project's groundbreaking new report, A Quest for Justice Read: Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  Journalist Matti Friedman Exposes Media Bias Against Israel John Spencer's Key Takeaways After the 12-Day War: Air Supremacy, Intelligence, and Deterrence Iran's Secret Nuclear Program and What Comes Next in the Iranian Regime vs. Israel War Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman: Shortly after the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, witness accounts emerged of women brutally raped and mutilated before they were murdered and silenced forever. For Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Professor of Law at Bar Ilan University, that silence was deafening. And the silence of the international community unwilling to hold Hamas accountable, disturbing.  In response, Ruth and colleagues, former military prosecutor Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas and retired judge Nava Ben-Or founded The Dinah Project, an effort to seek justice for the victims of sexual violence during conflicts, particularly in Israel, on October 7, 2023. This week, together with visual editor Nurit Jacobs-Yinon and linguistics editor Eetta Prince-Gibson, they released A Quest for Justice, the most comprehensive report yet on the sexual violence committed on October 7 and against hostages afterward. Ruth is with us now. Ruth, welcome to People of the Pod.  Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   Thank you very much for having me on your podcast. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, it's really an honor to have you. I should note for our listeners that you are also the founding Academic Director of the Rackman Center for the Advancement of the Status of Women, and you've served on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. So you're no newcomer to this subject matter.  You know, we've talked a lot about how Hamas sexually assaulted women and men during the October 7 terror attacks on Israel. Without getting too graphic, or at least getting graphic enough to make your point clear and not sanitize these crimes, what new information and evidence does this report offer?  Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   The specific new finding in the report is to actually take all the already published and existing information and put it together and come down with the numbers that prove that sexual violence on October 7 was not sporadic. Was not isolated. It was systematic. It happened in at least six different locations, at the same time, with the same manner, the same patterns.  And the, I think, most significant finding is that there are at least 17 survivors who witnessed the sexual violence, and they reported on at least 15 different cases. So there were 17 people who either saw or heard, in real time, the rapes and the gang rapes, some of them involving mutilation, some ending, and the witnesses saw, the execution at the end of the assaults. And this is the first time that anybody came with the actual aggregation and the classification and the naming of all the various sexual assaults and all the various cases that occurred on October 7, and then also later on in captivity. What we did is to, as I said, take all the testimonies and the evidence and the reports that people had already given, and they published it, either on social media or regular media, in addition to some information that was available to us from from other sources, and grouped it into specific categories according to their evidentiary value.  So the first group is, of course, those who were victims or survivors of sexual violence themselves, mostly returned hostages, but also one survivor of an attempted rape victim, attempted rape, on October 7, who had actually not spoken before. So that's the first time that her testimony is being recorded or reported.  But then the returned hostages, who also report on repeated and similar patterns of sexual abuse and sexual assaults that they had been subjected to in captivity. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So the United Nations has acknowledged that women were raped, mutilated, murdered, executed, as you said, but did it attribute responsibility to Hamas? Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   We have to differentiate between the first report of the Assistant Secretary General, Special Representative on sexual violence in conflict, Ms. Pramila Patten, who refrained from specifically attributing these atrocities to Hamas, saying that there needs to be more or follow up examination or investigation into the question of attribution.  But then in June of 2024, the Commission of Inquiry on Palestinian Authority, Gaza, Israel, and East Jerusalem, did attribute in their report, they did attribute the sexual violence to Hamas in at least two different places in their report. So in our view, this is already a settled issue. And the information that we gathered comes on top of these two reports. We have to bear in mind the issue of time that passes, first of all, with respect to those survivors, mostly of the Nova music festival, who themselves were victims of the terror attack. And as can be expected, took time before they could recount and speak in public about what they had seen, what they had witnessed, suffering also from trauma, being exposed to such unbelievable acts of human cruelty. And then the other group of the returned hostages, who, some of them, were freed only after 400 or 500 days. So obviously we could not hear their reports before they were finally freed. So all these pieces of information could not have been available to these two investigative exercises by the United Nations. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And when the UN Secretary General's annual report on the conflict related sexual violence, when it comes out in August, right, it's expected out next month, there is going to be more information. So do you have high hopes that they will hold Hamas accountable for using sexual violence as a tactical weapon of war, and that this will be included in that report? Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   So this is, in fact, our first recommendation request, ask, if you want to put it that way. We call upon the Secretary General to blacklist Hamas, to include Hamas in the list of those notorious organizations, entities, states that condone or that actually make use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, side by side with ISIS, with Boko Haram, with other terrorist organizations and terrorist groups around the world.  And expose them, finally, for what they are, not freedom fighters and not resistance fighters, but rapists and terrorists that use the worst form of violence of human cruelty, of atrocities to inflict such terror and harm on the enemy. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You know, we talk about the dangers of nuclear warfare, especially lately, in the context of Iran, we talk about cyber attacks. What are the broader implications of sexual violence when it's used as a weapon of war? Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   Perhaps this is where we should clarify the sense in which sexual violence as a weapon of war is different from the regular term of sexual violence, and from the phenomena of, for lack of a better word, everyday sexual violence. It's really very important to bear this in mind when thinking about those broader implications and when seeking justice for victims of sexual violence when used as a weapon of war. It is directed not against the individual. It is directed against the community as a whole. Against the group of the enemy, the nation of the enemy. So the bodies of women, and sometimes also of men, are used as vessels, as symbols, symbolizing the body of the whole nation, and when the specific body is targeted and when the specific woman is invaded, conquered, violated, it is as if the whole body of the of the nation, of the enemy's nation, is being invaded and conquered.  So the target is the total dehumanization and destroying of the whole community, of the whole group of the enemy. And these are the ramifications of using sexual violence as a weapon of war. It inflicts such a degree of terror, and then also of shame and of stigma, so as to paralyze the whole community. And it goes on and on. And we know from sadly, from other cases of the usage of sexual violence as a tool of war that it is transmitted to generation after generation, this collective trauma. And it's important, not just in understanding and perhaps being prepared for treatment, for healing, etc. But it is also important in the sense of seeking justice. Of attempting to prosecute for these crimes of sexual violence in conflict or in war. We know that it is always a very difficult challenge for the legal system, for institutions, legal institutions, institutions of justice, to prosecute perpetrators of CRSV, of conflict related sexual violence, because of the of the unique aspects and the unique nature of this kind of crime, which are different from everyday sexual violence. In so many cases, as is the case of October 7, there are no direct victims who are able to speak for the very grim reason that Hamas made sure to kill almost each and every one of them so as to leave no traces, to silence them forever. And the very few that did survive, are too traumatized to speak, are unable to come up and say what they had been through.  But this is very often the case in CRSV. And then the next challenge is that it is almost always impossible to identify or to point to a specific perpetrator and it's almost impossible to know who did what, or to connect a specific perpetrator to a specific victim. In the case of October 7, the victims were buried with the evidence. The bodies were the evidence and they were buried immediately, or as soon as it was possible, according to Jewish tradition.  So does that mean that they can walk away without being prosecuted, without being charged, and without being pointed to as those who perpetrate sexual violence and use it as a weapon of war? That is why we, in our work at The Dinah Project and in the book that we had just published this week, on top of the evidentiary platform that I already described before, we also develop a legal thesis calling for the prosecution of all those who participated in that horrific attack, all those who entered Israel with the genocidal intent of total dehumanization and total destruction. And we argue that they all share responsibility. This is a concept of joint responsibility, or joint criminal enterprise, that we must make use of, and it is a known concept in jurisprudence, in criminal law, and it has to be employed in these cases. In addition to understanding that some of the usual evidence that is sought for prosecution of sexual violence, namely the evidence, the testimony, of the victim herself or himself is not available.  But then those eyewitnesses and ear witnesses in real time, 17 of them reporting 15 different cases, these are no less credible evidence and acceptable evidence in evidentiary, in evidence law. And these should be resorted to.  So there has to be a paradigm shift in the understanding of the prosecutorial authorities and the law in general. Justice systems, judicial systems in general. Because otherwise, perpetrators of these crimes have full impunity and there will never be accountability for these crimes. And any terrorist organization gets this message that you can do this and get away with it, as long as you don't leave the victims behind. This is a terrible message. It's unacceptable, and we must fight against it. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Ruth, can you explain to our audience the origins of The Dinah Project? How old is it? When did you found it, and why? Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   The Dinah Project is really a very interesting case. Can be seen as a case study of the operation of civil society in Israel, from the bottom up, forming organically, without any plan, at first, without any structure. Each of us found ourselves working in parallel channels immediately after October 7. I was very much involved and invested in the international human rights arena.  My colleagues were more invested on the national front in seeking to, first of all, to raise awareness within the Israeli authorities themselves about what had took place, and then collecting the information and putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. And then we realized, as we realized that we are all working towards the same goal, we first of all formed a WhatsApp group. This is how things are being done in Israel, and we called it: Sexual Atrocities War Room.  And then we understood that we have to have some kind of a structure. And it was only natural that the Rackman Center that I established, and I'm still heading more than 25 years ago, would be the natural organization to host The Dinah Project.  As an organization that has always been leading justice for Israeli women, for women in Israel, gender justice, we realize that we are now facing a new front of where justice needs to be done for women in Israel. And we also can utilize the human power that we have in the academia, in the university, of course the organizational structure. So we expanded The Rackman Center, and for the past almost year and a half, The Dinah Project is part of the Rackman Center. And the book that we published now is really the culmination of a very, very careful and meticulous work, thousands of hours, as I said. I would like to add that we are, I'm trying to think of the proper words. It's actually a subject matter where you so often find yourself looking for the proper words. So I want to say we're pleased, but it's really not the right expression. But we see, we acknowledge that there is a huge amount of interest in our work since we launched the book this week and handed it over to the First Lady of Israel, Michal Herzog, at the presidential residence.  And I hesitate to say that perhaps this demonstrates that maybe there is more willingness in the international media and in the world at large to hear, maybe to accept, that the situation is more nuanced than previously they prefer to believe.  And maybe also because more time passed on. Of course, new information was gathered, but also when this is a work by an academic institution, coming from independent experts and a very solid piece of work, maybe this is also what was needed. I'm really, really hopeful that it will indeed generate the change that we're seeking. Manya Brachear Pashman:   In other words, that denial that we encountered in the very beginning, where people were not believing the Israeli women who said that they were sexually assaulted, you find that that is shifting, that is changing. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   I hope so. I hope that this media interest that we are experiencing now is a signal for some kind of change. It is our aim to refute the denialism. Manya Brachear Pashman:   There are some that point to Israeli Forces as well and say that they are also using sexual violence as a weapon of war. Does The Dinah Project address that, has it worked with the IDF to try to figure out . . . in other words, is it a broad application, this report? Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   This is not our mission. Our mission is concerned with the victims of Hamas. We are aware of the allegations against Israeli soldiers, against IDF. We are aware, and we made some inquiries to know the facts that investigations are ongoing against those who are being accused of perpetrating sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.  But we must point out a major difference, at least in our understanding. Hamas entered Israel on October 7 under a genocidal indoctrination. Just reading the Hamas charter, going through those writings that were found in the vessels of Hamas terrorists here in Israel, or later on in Gaza, the indoctrination there is clear.  And they all entered civilian places. They attacked civilians purposefully, with the intent of total dehumanization and destruction. Whatever happened or not happened with respect to Palestinian detainees, and I do trust the Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and to hold those accountable, cannot be compared to a structured and planned and ordered attack against the civilian population. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And total lack of accountability as well. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   Obviously there is absolutely no accountability on the part of the Palestinian people, of Hamas leadership, or Palestinian Authority, if that's relevant. Obviously there are no investigations there and no accountability, no acceptance of responsibility on their part. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Ruth, thank you so much for producing this report, for continuing to investigate, and keeping the fire lit under the feet of the United Nations and authorities who can hold people accountable for the crimes that were committed. Thank you so much. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari:   Thank you. Thank you very much. Manya Brachear Pashman:   If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for a replay of a conversation with award-winning journalist Matti Friedman at AJC Global Forum 2025. He breaks down the media bias, misinformation and double standards shaping global coverage of Israel.  

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country's goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran's political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today's Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world.Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran's political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran's strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East.Challenging the notion that Iran's foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton UP, 2025) provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country's resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019  and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011. He has written a number of books on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others. Professor Nasr serves as the co-director of the SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, sits on the board of a number of academic institutions, has won a number of prominent grants, and holds a chair named after Henry Kissinger at the library of Congress. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book recommendations: The World After Gaza by Pankaj Mishra The Great Transformation: China's Road from Revolution to Reform by Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity

In our second hour, Dr. Nii-Quartelai is joined by Former U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity & Justice and Co-Founder of The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, Desiree Cormier Smith. Listen to her take on President Trump's emerging Africa strategy, potential U.S. involvement in Israel-Iran conflict, and Former U.N. Ambassador's "Dolly Parton Approach." Download the KBLA app to listen live and subscribe to "A More Perfect Union" podcast powered by KBLA Talk 1580 to never miss an episode. Calling all leaders, learners, and listeners - We've got a lot to talk about!

In episode 51 of Tahrir Podcast, Professor Vali Nasr joined to discuss his new book, Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History (Princeton University Press, 2025).Drawing on decades of internal debates, foreign policy shifts, and national security doctrine, the book unpacks how the Islamic Republic has navigated threats and opportunities since 1979 — from the trauma of the Iran-Iraq War to proxy networks, backchannel diplomacy, and a complex posture toward the U.S. and its allies. In this episode, we explore the development of Iran's strategic worldview, the balance between vigilance and pragmatism, and the high-stakes regional escalations that now test the durability of its doctrine.Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he served as Dean from 2012 to 2019. He is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the South Asia Center of the Atlantic Council. From 2009 to 2011, he served as Senior Adviser to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of Congress, and presidential campaigns.Episode on YouTube: Streaming everywhere! ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TahrirPodcast⁠⁠Reach out! TahrirPodcast@gmail.comSupport us on Patreon for as low as $2 per month ($20 per year)! ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TahrirPodcast

The America's Work Force Union Podcast proudly sponsored a panel discussion held earlier this year at the Fourth Annual Construction Working Minds Summit in Dallas. The summit's purpose is to support mental health awareness in the building trades. To kick off Mental Health Awareness Month, today's show features discussions from that panel, called Health Building Blocks for the Building Trades. Panel guests included:  Alanna Marklund, Special Representative, United Association Canada Ben Bradshaw, Business Manager, UA Local 100 in Dallas Mike Hazard, Program Administrator, United Association Veterans in Piping Program Pete Ielmini, Executive Director, Mechanical Insulators LMCT James Pursell, Peer Support Specialist, Laborers LEAN STL 

On this episode of 1050 Bascom, we were honored to welcome Ambassador John E. Lange, a distinguished diplomat, global health leader, and proud alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over his 28-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Lange served in pivotal roles, including U.S. Ambassador to Botswana, Special Representative on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, and Deputy U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator at the launch of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.His career has taken him from high-level diplomatic negotiations to frontline crisis leadership. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 2009, Ambassador Lange continued his commitment to global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation, where he has worked to advance global health diplomacy, pandemic preparedness, and disease eradication initiatives.In this episode, Ambassador Lange shared insights from his diplomatic career, his work in global health, and the importance of public service in addressing global challenges. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Ambassador Lange and learned so much. We hope you will too.

Following a surprise Oval Office announcement by President Trump during Bibi Netanyahu's trip to Washington, the United States has once again restarted negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. Thanks to Israeli attacks on Iranian air defenses and its proxies, coupled with crippling U.S. sanctions, Iran has never been weaker and America has never had more leverage over the Islamic Republic. However, Iran's nuclear program is also significantly larger and more advanced than it was in 2015 or throughout the first Trump administration. What should Trump demand in a new nuclear deal with Iran? And is the administration's current approach a recipe for success, or are they being played by the Ayatollah? Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Chairman of the Tikvah Fund, and the Chairman of the Vandenberg Coalition. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in Donald Trump's first administration. His most recent book is If You Will It: Rebuilding Jewish Peoplehood for the 21st Century (Wicked Son, 2024). Read the transcript here. Subscribe to our Substack here.

What happens when the US tears up the rulebook on global trade? And what does that mean for the planet? Plus: what on earth is happening in Greenland? And does it really signal an unlikely MAGA embrace of climate science?In this urgent and wide-ranging episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson explore the fallout from Trump's new global tariffs, reflect on the environmental movement's complex relationship with free trade, and ask what this moment tells us about democracy, power and inequality.Later, Christiana shares highlights from a timely conversation she recently had in Paris, with former US Vice President Al Gore and France's Special Representative for COP21 Laurence Tubiana. Together, they consider the impact of money in politics, the poly-solutions to our state of polycrisis, and the importance of staying (stubbornly) optimistic.Learn more ⚖️ The New Civil Liberties Alliance Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief

In this episode of The Horn, Alan Boswell is joined by Annette Weber, the European Union's Special Representative for the Horn of Africa. They discuss how the first months of Donald Trump's presidency have affected the region and whether the EU and other regional actors can step in to fill the humanitarian aid gap created by cuts in U.S. funding. They explore why the region appears to face so many deteriorating crises at once. They examine the prospects for diplomacy to address both the longstanding and emerging crises across the region, including the war in Sudan, the deepening political crisis in South Sudan that threatens to escalate into full-scale war, rising tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the recent Al-Shabaab offensive in Somalia. They also discuss Europe's response to the security crisis in the Red Sea. Finally, with the West in crisis, they consider how the EU diplomacy in the region might adapt.For more, check out recent publications “Two Years On, Sudan's War is Spreading”, “Ethiopia and Eritrea Slide Closer to War amid Tigray Upheaval” and “South Sudan on the Precipice of Renewed Full-blown War” as well as our Horn of Africa regional page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textOn the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Syed came to the SBA from the State Department where he served as Special Representative for Commercial & Business Affairs. As the State Department's top commercial diplomat, Deputy Administrator Syed advocated for U.S. companies to compete and win abroad and helped ensure U.S. competitiveness in markets across the globe. Before joining the Biden Administration, Syed held the roles of CEO at Lumiata, an AI healthcare company, and President at software company, Freshworks.  Earlier in his career, Syed oversaw business operations for Yahoo!'s platforms and infrastructure and was a product manager at Siebel Systems and SAP. His transition to public service is marked by civic efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. He was the founding Chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force with the Governor's Office, served on President Obama's White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), and chaired the White House Initiative on AAPIs' Economic Growth Committee. In that role, Syed led the administration's engagement with small businesses across the U.S. after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In 2020, Syed was tapped by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help lead Silicon Valley's pandemic recovery as a member of the Silicon Valley Recovery Roundtable. Syed holds an M.B.A. from Wharton and earned a B.A. in Economics and Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblazers.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new episodes and updates on our latest events in your inbox. Follow us @southasiantrailblazers on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, and all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Spotify.

Guest: Amira Elghawaby,Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia  Islamophobia and hate is on the rise in Canada. Political rhetoric is growing more divisive. Statistics show a surge in reported hate crimes against visible minorities. And in the middle of it all is Amira Elghawaby, Canada's Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia. Since taking on the role, she has faced relentless pushback and personal attacks. In early March, her office has released a new guide on tackling Islamophobia at a time when tensions appear to escalating in the country. With growing concerns that  rising hate and anti-Muslim sentiment from a U.S. under Trump, could spill over here, Elghawaby's job is cut out for her. In a candid conversation with This Matters, she unpacks all of this, the need for  her newly released guide and the future of her role and work in an increasingly polarized political climate.  This episode was produced by Saba Eitizaz, Paulo Marques and Sean Pattendon.

Episode #317: Derek Mitchell's engagement with Myanmar began unexpectedly in the 1990s when he attended a human rights event featuring Aung San Suu Kyi. Years later, he became the first U.S. Special Representative and later Ambassador to Myanmar, playing a crucial role in shaping U.S. policy toward the country.Under the Obama administration, the U.S. reassessed its approach, transitioning from sanctions to diplomatic engagement. Mitchell was tasked with determining whether Myanmar's new government, led by Thein Sein, was genuinely committed to reform. While political prisoners were released and civil society restrictions eased, skepticism remained, especially as the military, under Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, retained significant power.Mitchell championed an action-for-action approach, incrementally easing sanctions in response to reforms. While some criticized this as premature, he defended engagement, arguing, “We have to recognize that Myanmar is a country, not a cause.” He believed isolating Myanmar would only deepen military control while economic and political incentives could encourage democratic progress.The 2015 elections marked a milestone as Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won by a landslide. However, ethnic minorities remained wary, and military control persisted under the 2008 Constitution. Then the Rohingya crisis of 2017 shattered hopes of democratic transition, exposing the military's unchecked power. “I realized that was a ticking time bomb, and that it could go off at any time,” Mitchell recalls.The 2021 coup confirmed his fears, revealing how fragile Myanmar's democratic reforms had been. Post-coup, Myanmar entered a period of profound instability, with mass resistance challenging military rule. Mitchell stresses that external pressure remains crucial, stating, “There should be absolute, airtight pressure, not just from the United States, but from the frontline states to this regime, to say, ‘this is unacceptable.'”

Join us as we delve into the complex remembrance of Jimmy Carter, from his pivotal energy policies to international diplomacy, at his funeral reflections with diverse voices.This show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate   Thank you for your continued support!Description:  What is being left out of the conversation when it comes to Jimmy Carter, and why are many of his significant achievements under attack today? He created a national energy policy that married conservation with developing alternatives and getting off oil, passed the Superfund Act, created the Federal Department of Education and negotiated the Panama Canal treaty — a deal that Trump slammed earlier this week as he threatened to regain control of Panama. In this episode, Laura is on the ground in Georgia for Carter's funeral events, and speaks with people who came from all around the country to pay their respects. How are Americans remembering the 39th president? Many obituaries have excluded the October Surprise by which the release of US hostages held in Iran was delayed until Ronald Reagan's election day, and Carter's critiques of Israeli violations of international law and his warning that cutting off non-violent options for Palestinians under Israel's occupation would inevitably explode, making both Israel and the Palestinians less secure. What should we make of the notion that he “failed” during his presidency? Join us as we explore why Carter's legacy is so relevant today. All that, plus a commentary from Laura.“Carter had established the US-China relationship and this year is the 45th anniversary of US-China relationship normalization. Over the past 40 years, he had the great policy to help the Chinese people, help China to develop, and that changed millions of people's life.” - Richard Li“[Jimmy Carter] was accused of being antisemitic. Imagine the president who removed Israel's largest enemy from the battlefield, Egypt, could be considered antisemitic is so beyond the pale. He was so committed to Israel's security, which he knew could only happen when the Palestinian people would have their state.” - Karin Ryan“There's different philosophies on how private sector and public sector labor unions are viewed, and each one of them is unique in how they work for their contracts. But overall, collective bargaining is an important thing. And I think the general consensus of everybody historically is that President Carter supported collective bargaining, and collective bargaining is what this country was founded on.” - Greg WaddlePeople Featured in This Episode:• Karin Ryan, the Senior Policy Advisor on Human Rights and Special Representative on Women and Girls at The Carter Center• Richard Li, Vice President, Chinese American Business Association of Atlanta • Greg Waddle, President, IATSE Local 479 Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music In the Middle:  flashback to the Jimmy Carter Campaign Song “Why Not the Best” from 1976.  And additional music included- "Steppin"  and "All The Ways" by Podington Bear. Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Angela Davis: A Revolutionary Roadmap for Building a Better Future, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode, Full Conversation•  Israel, Hamas & Universal Human Rights: Former UN Official Craig Mokhiber Describes Path Forward, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode, Full Conversation• How to Fortify Democracy in 2024, Watch / Listen-Podcast- Episode Related Articles and Resources:•  Jimmy Carter Presidential Library video archives•  Carterland, a documentary by Jim & Will Pattiz released in 2021, Learn More• Jimmy Carter Tribute website, Learn More  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O'Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

After a year of fighting between Israel, Iranian proxies, and now Iran itself, it's still unclear how this war will end. Hezbollah and Hamas are militarily devastated. The Iranian regime has never looked weaker. But the Israel-Hamas war is also nowhere close to being settled, Israel is only now beginning its operations in southern Lebanon, and the world is still awaiting Israeli retaliation for Iran's October 1 missile attack. In this episode of WTH Live! Elliott Abrams, David Deptula, and Eyal Hulata join Dany at AEI to discuss what the future of Israel's de facto war with Iran should and will look like. Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.) serves as the Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Gen. Deptula was the principal attack planner for the Operation Desert Storm air campaign, commander of no-fly-zone operations over Iraq in the late 1990s, director of the air campaign over Afghanistan in 2001, and has served on two congressional commissions charged with outlining America's future defense posture. Gen. Deptula retired from the Air Force in 2010 after more than 34 years of distinguished service.Eyal Hulata is a senior international fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Eyal previously served as Israel's national security advisor and head of Israel's National Security Council (NSC). During his tenure, Eyal coordinated the national effort on Iran, coordinated the maritime border agreement with Lebanon, and co-headed the Strategic Consultation Group with his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan. Read the transcript here. Subscribe to our Substack here.

In this special weekend edition of the podcast, hosts Tom, Christiana, and Paul catch up with The Rt Hon David Lammy, the UK's new Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Office. In a fascinating conversation, they delve into his decision to place climate change at the heart of his first major speech as Foreign Secretary and discuss why he sees the climate emergency as a national security issue.  The Foreign Secretary expresses his outrage at recent trends which have seen climate change used as a political ping pong issue and shares insights into how we might build consensus across parties on the climate and nature agenda. The hosts also take a moment to congratulate him on the appointment of friend of the podcast, Rachel Kyte, as the UK's new Climate Envoy. Tune in to hear the full conversation and discover why the Foreign Secretary's answers convince the hosts that the UK is once again a global leader in climate action.Make sure to tune in Thursday October 3rd to our brand new five-part series called How To Live a Good Life in a Climate Crisis.  Exploring dilemmas around issues like flying, food and parenting, the hosts explore how we might still have meaningful and good lives amidst the overwhelm and turmoil of the climate crisis.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   Rachel Kyte Appointed as the UK's Special Representative for Climate  The Kew Lecture: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy's speech on the climate crisis David Lammy's TED Talk: Climate Justice can't happen without racial justice The Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre GUEST The Rt Hon David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (X)    Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It's official, we're a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

In a Narativ exclusive, we've uncovered the first details of President Zelensky's audacious "Victory Plan" for Ukraine. This isn't just another war update - it's a potential roadmap to defeat Russia in a matter of months. Why This Matters Now: Zelensky aims to end the war before 2025 The plan includes unprecedented actions, including strikes within Russian territory It could reshape the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe Exclusive Insights from a Top Diplomat: We sat down with Ambassador Kurt Volker, former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, to break down this plan. Ambassador Volker brings over 35 years of foreign policy experience and currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Learn more about his work at CEPA. Volker provides unparalleled analysis of: The plan's four-pronged strategy: military, diplomatic, political, and economic How it could force Russia's retreat Why the timing is crucial, especially with the approaching winter and U.S. election Key Revelations: Details on potential long-range strikes inside Russia How Ukraine plans to outmaneuver Russia economically The role of U.S. and NATO support in this ambitious strategy This episode isn't just news - it's a glimpse into potentially history-making decisions happening right now. As Zelensky prepares to brief world leaders, including President Biden, Narativ gives you the inside scoop on what could be the turning point of the war. Don't miss this critical analysis of a plan that could reshape Eastern Europe and end a conflict that has gripped the world for nearly two years. #UkraineWarExclusive #ZelenskyVictoryPlan #NarativBreakingNews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor under President George W. Bush, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela under President Donald Trump. Abrams joins Preet to discuss the recent presidential election in Venezuela, the outlook for its authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, and how the U.S. can help salvage a country in crisis.  Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. For analysis of recent legal news, join the CAFE Insider community. Head to cafe.com/insider to join for just $1 for the first month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices