In this episode of The International Risk Podcast, host Dominic Bowen speaks with Shayan Talabany, Senior Analyst and Advisor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, about the profound shifts underway in the Middle East. From U.S. retrenchment and recalibrated alliances to the pressures of youth unemployment, nationalism, and the war in Gaza, Talabany…
“‘The cancellation or what you call the abeyance of the Indus Water treaty is not anything which is practical but it is very political; it is politically dividing these two countries and creating huge mistrust. Just in May, these two countries were on the verge of nuclear war so anything can happen”. Ashok Swain, Episode…
When we think about flashpoints between India and Pakistan, most people picture borders, bombs, or Kashmir. But the most strategic weapon in South Asia today may not be nuclear—it’s water. The Indus Water Treaty has been called one of the world’s most successful peace agreements, surviving wars, nuclear standoffs, and decades of political hostility. But…
Ashok Swain is the UNESCO Chair on International Water Cooperation, Professor and Head of Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. Professor Swain is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal, Environment and Security, published by Sage. Over his career he has authored and edited 20 books and more than 150 journal…
Antoine Renaux is an Economic Intelligence & Geopolitics Analyst, his expertise lies in defence and security policy, economic intelligence, and geopolitical risk analysis. His career spans strategic intelligence, public affairs, and policy analysis roles across both public and private sectors, giving him a nuanced, operational understanding of complex international dynamics. His key areas of expertise…
Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil With the Zapad Military exercises occurring again near the Polish border, Dominic Bowen has Antoine Renaux on the podcast. They analyse the challenges of NATO, Russia’s probing operations, NATO’s response, and more importantly, NATO’s preparedness. Find out more about Article 5 and the potential scenarios, why hybrid warfare and cyber attacks are…
Written by Elisa Garbil – 18.09.2025 The geopolitical temperature in Eastern Europe has been rising sharply. In recent weeks, Poland has found itself at the forefront of a dangerous escalation between NATO and Russia. Russian drones have repeatedly intruded into Polish airspace, testing both Poland’s defensive capabilities and NATO’s collective resolve. Warsaw has responded decisively, scrambling jets,…
Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil The student-led protests in Serbia have been going on for months. Today we have Saša Dobrijević on the podcast to discuss: Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and…
Saša Dobrijević is an international journalist and reporter based in Belgrade. He is a seasoned journalist with experience in Munich in Berlin and Luxembourg, with a beat across geopolitics, social movements, and the green-energy transition. He’s covered protests up close, interviewed decision-makers, and understands how narratives harden, and how they break. Saša is a Diplomatic Press…
Written by Elisa Garbil – 15.09.2025 In the late summer of 2025, Serbia finds itself at a pivotal juncture. Tens of thousands of demonstrators continue to flood Belgrade’s streets, joined increasingly by smaller towns across the country. At the heart of the mobilisation lies a deep frustration with entrenched corruption, economic insecurity, and the tightening grip of…
