Episodes

  • Explainer 444: Why are New Zealand’s Maori protesting?
    Nov 20 2024

    Andrew Mueller explains the origin of the controversial bill New Zealand’s Maori are protesting against.

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    6 mins
  • Trump’s doctrine: the sequel
    Nov 16 2024

    Following Trump’s first cabinet appointments, we consider what his second term might mean for tensions between international powers. Andrew Mueller speaks with Amy Mackinnon, national security reporter for ‘Foreign Policy’; John Herbst, former US ambassador to Ukraine; Stephen Young, former ambassador to China; and Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator.

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    41 mins
  • Explainer 443: The motives behind Equatorial Guinea’s sex scandal
    Nov 13 2024

    African social media has been awash with scandalous videos of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, head of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, filmed by the man himself, in his own office. Andrew Mueller explains the Shakespearian motives behind the leak and what it could mean for nation’s higher office.

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    8 mins
  • Trump returns: what now?
    Nov 9 2024

    As the dust settles on what was a shocking election result for some, we ask how Trump’s decisive victory happened and what it means for the US and the world. Andrew Mueller speaks to ‘The Atlantic’ staff writer Tom Nichols, the US’s former deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, Heather Conley, and co-director of the UCL Centre on US Politics, Julie Norman.

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    44 mins
  • Explainer 442: The election result making Europe breathe a sigh of relief
    Nov 6 2024

    While we take stock of what Trump’s victory means for the world, one country’s election result has had a more reassuring effect, at least for the EU. This week, Moldova reelected president Maia Sandu. Andrew Mueller explains what it means beyond the country’s borders and why it matters.

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    6 mins
  • US election counterintuitives
    Nov 2 2024

    Trump the peacemaker, Obama the deporter, George W Bush the foreign aider. Ahead of the election, we interrogate the counterintuitive positions candidates have taken against their party’s (and their own) image, once in office. Why do so many US presidents campaign in one direction and govern in another? Andrew Mueller speaks with former USAID administrator Andrew Natsios. Plus: a roundtable with Leslie Vinjamuri of the US and the Americas programme at Chatham House and Charles Hecker of geopolitical risk consultancy, Control Risks.

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    46 mins
  • Explainer 441: In celebration of Uruguay’s drama-free election
    Oct 30 2024

    As the US braces itself for next week’s anxiety-inducing vote and Georgians reel at their own controversial ballot result, Andrew Mueller explains why Uruguay has enjoyed a sublimely excitement-free election.

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    7 mins
  • How the war in Ukraine has reshaped Asian foreign policy
    Oct 26 2024

    The war in Ukraine and Russia has affected East Asian foreign policy in more ways than you might expect. We explore North and South Korea's involvement in the conflict with former UK ambassador John Everard, China’s watchful eye with Oriana Skylar Mastro and the pivotal forthcoming elections in Japan with James D Brown.

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    41 mins