New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy | Podcasts

Global Hotspots: Israel and Hezbollah Reach Ceasefire Agreement

This week, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a U.S.-mediated cease-fire, while fighting continued in Gaza, with Hamas signaling it could agree to cooperate on ceasing hostilities. In Ukraine, Kyiv experienced the largest drone bombing since the start of the war, and the U.K. unveiled additional sanctions against Russia. In the Indo-Pacific, Taiwanese President William Lai is planning a visit to his diplomatic allies with a possible stop-over in the U.S., and Washington is making additional plans to deter China with the Philippines and Japan. In the U.S., President-elect Donald Trump threatened additional tariffs against China, Mexico, and Canada. In the closing of the U.N. COP29 climate conference, richer countries agreed to finance $300 billion per year to assist poorer countries with climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives.
Read the full Weekly Forecast Monitory here: https://newlinesinstitute.org/forecast/week-20241127/
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Process of Democratic Development in Ghana

On this episode of the Contours podcast, host Tammy Palacios sits down with Paul N.K. Aborampah Mensah, senior program manager for Ghana's Center for Democratic Development. Through their talk, they hone in on the situation and challenges ahead of Ghana's 2024 elections, including the Vigilantism Law, approaches to civic education, and how civil society groups can improve their effectiveness.

Global Hotspots: Amid Conflict, Diplomacy Ramps Up in Ukraine and Lebanon

This week, Ukraine received authorization from the U.S. to use U.S.-supplied ATACM weapon systems to strike deep into Russia’s Kursk region, followed by the authorization to use British/French Storm Shadow missiles. In the Middle East, U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein visited Beirut and Jerusalem to propose ceasefire conditions for Hezbollah and Israel, while Israel continued its bombardments in Gaza and Lebanon. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. announced new military aid and cooperation with the Philippines, and China signed several agreements with global partners during the G20 summit and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Brazil and Peru.
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Global Politics of Masculinity

In this episode, New Lines' Gender Policy Director Kallie Mitchell, along with guests Ruth Whippman and Cait Dallaire, explore the hidden dynamics of identity and power that are reshaping global security, democratic movements, and the future of political engagement.

Global Hotspots: Trump Makes Appointments Amid Global Diplomatic Maneuvering

This week, President-elect Donald Trump nominated members of his incoming government, and the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives. In the Middle East, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the annexation of the West Bank amid conflicting reports of a potential ceasefire in Lebanon. In Russia, Ukrainian forces conducted large-scale drone attacks against Moscow, and Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly spoke with Trump about potential resolutions to the war. In the Indo-Pacific, China posted new delimitations around the contested Scarborough Shoal near the Philippines, and U.S. President Joe Biden is set to attend the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
Read the full Weekly Forecast Monitory here: https://newlinesinstitute.org/forecast/week-20241114/
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Shedding Light on Drug Use Patterns in Syria

Much attention has been paid to the supply of illicit drugs in the Middle East and war-torn Syria, but little has been focused on the patterns and implications of drug consumption in the region. However, a recent MedGlobal report reveals insightful data about Syria's emerging addiction crisis. The report notes that drug consumption has increased 300% since the outbreak of Syria's civil war, with high addiction rates associated with illicit substances, including captagon, crystal meth, heroin, cannabis, and other volatile substances. In this episode of the Contours podcast, the New Lines Institute’s Caroline Rose and Senior Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Karam Shaar discuss the report’s findings with MedGlobal President Dr. Zaher Sahloul and talk about the future of drug demand in Syria and beyond.

Global Hotspots: Trump’s Presidential Victory and Foreign Policy Implications

This week, former President Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, while the Republican Party won a Senate majority. In Russia, North Korean troops were reported to have entered combat with Ukrainian forces in Kursk, and Ukraine expressed interest in a Qatari-mediated agreement on the exclusion of energy targets. In the Middle East, Israel continued its assault in Lebanon while an unconfirmed report indicated the U.S. has deployed F-15 jets to Jordan to defend Israel from retaliatory attacks. In the Indo-Pacific, South Korea was hit by cyberattacks, while North Korea launched several short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan and the U.S. held long-range bomber drills with South Korean and Japanese forces.
Read the full Weekly Forecast Monitory here: https://newlinesinstitute.org/forecast/week-20241108/
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: The U.S. Election and its Global Impacts

This week, hosts Miloš Maggiore and Andrew Loftesnes provide updates on U.S. domestic developments and examine some of the scenarios that the different U.S. election outcomes could entail across global hotspots. They further look at updates from this week. In Russia, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that North Korean troops have been deployed in Russia's Kursk region, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed with his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol to deepen intelligence exchanges. In the Middle East, Israel conducted air strikes against Iranian military infrastructure and passed a law preventing UNRWA operations in Israel. Finally in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. approved military aid packages to Taiwan and the Philippines, while Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party failed to gain a majority in this week's parliamentary elections.
Read the full Weekly Forecast Monitory here: https://newlinesinstitute.org/forecast/week-20241101/
Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Global Hotspots: North Korean Troops in the Russo-Ukranian War

This week in the Russia-Ukraine war, the presence of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia was confirmed. In the Pacific, American and Canadian warships transited the Taiwan strait in response to China's blockade training maneuvers last week. In the Middle East, hopes for ceasefire in the Gaza conflict increase in the wake of the death of Yaha Sinwar, Hamas' former leader.

Global Hotspots: Israel Takes Out Hamas Leader Sinwar

This week, Israel took out Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, while the United States for the first time threatened to cut off arms supplies to Israel and the United Kingdom proposed sanctions against Israeli leaders. In the Indo-Pacific, China held its most intense military exercises this year, staging a blockade within Taiwan’s contiguous waters near its ports. 'In the Russia/Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveiled his “'Victory Plan'” to parliaments and leaders of the EU and NATO.