The Foreign Desk is live in the immediate hours after Israel announced the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Andrew Mueller speaks with David Wood of the International Crisis Group in Beirut, and analysts Lina Khatib and Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House. Plus: we hear from Hezbollah scholar Aurélie Daher.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Mueller explores the reasons why Sri Lankans ditched their traditional leaders and plumped for Anura Kumara Dissanayake instead.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been more than a decade since a Western Balkan nation joined the European Union and long-simmering tensions between neighbours in the region are beginning to fray. In this special episode, largely recorded at the Globsec conference in Prague, we speak to those keeping the peace including Miroslav Lajčák, Christian Schmidt and former Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Mueller explains the significance of holding local elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the election of US president Donald Trump in 2016 and Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a consensus has formed that Europe needs to do more – and spend more – to look after itself. But at a time when the cost of living and other domestic issues remain a priority for many governments, there is little appetite to spend on something that might never be used. In this special episode recorded at the recent Globsec forum in Prague, we speak to Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Denis Mercier, Lieutenant General Piotr Blazeusz and Jiri Sedivy to consider threats to Europe and their necessary responses.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Germany enforces tougher checks on all its borders, Andrew Mueller questions what this will mean for the Schengen Area.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first edition in our special series recorded at the Globsec Forum in Prague. We hear a selection of highlights including an insight into defending a country during active conflict with Ukraine’s former defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov; EU harmony with Czechia’s foreign minister, Jan Lipavský; Nato’s priorities with General Chris Badia; and the struggles of democratic journalism as the far-right rises with editor in chief of ‘SME’ Beata Balogová.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Mueller explains why Brazil has banned the social media platform X.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.